The Alpha Twins
by laura-maeve
Summary: Roughly two years have passed since the Witch's War. Maddox and Ash Black have lived in bliss with their siblings and mates. Dox has been learning the intricacies of leading the Children while Ash quietly worries over the fate of his human mate. But drama stirs once again when Ryell, Dox's mate, is threatened. Dox, with Ash's help, will do anything to protect her. Rated M.
1. Chapter 1

**No, this is not an official chapter, but a lot of you were asking for a family tree. I decided to wait until this story to give you one since the ages have been altered. I lost track of my timeline so I'm roughly estimating their ages and starting over with this story.**

 **This one will be about two years later. (I decided to give our favorite families a break.) If you have any questions, please ask! If I left any characters out that you want to know about, let me know!**

* * *

 **Family Tree: Beginning of The Alpha Twins (2 years after Alpha's Daughter) (Please forgive the lack of creativity on the title. If I think of something better, I'll change it.**

 **Jacob/Ness** **:**

Will - 21 (August)

Jules - 20 (June)

Maddox -18 (February)

Ash - 18 (February)

 **Seth/Shelby** **:**

Brayden - 22 (November)

Piper - 20 (December)

 **Walker/Christa** **:**

Haleigh - 27 (September)

Ryell - 17 (August)

Wren - 13 (October)

 **Rebecca/Tom** **:**

Henry (Deceased)

Colton - 15

 **Rachel/Paul (Deceased)** **:**

Ava - 19-20

Linley - 14

Dane - 12

 **Embry/Tricia** **:**

Nechole - 17

Katie - 16

Parker - 14

 **Sam/Emily** **:**

Leila - 22

Tate - 18

 **Leah/Caden** **:**

Gage - 17

Hunter - 22

 **Quil/Claire** **:**

Mika - 7

Rafe - 4

 **Morgan/Lucas** **:**

Jonathan - 11

Dylan - 8

 **Other Kids** **:**

Garrett - 34

Jason - 21

Cole - 21

Cecily - 22

Arden - 23

Maggie - 20

Dakota - 25


	2. Chapter 2

**Yay! Officially chapter 1! Sorry for the fake out on the first one. Many of you wanted a family tree, so there's an official one we can all refer to when we need it! Now, normally, I loathe first chapters. They're so hard for me to write. But I have to say that I really like this one, so I hope you do, too.**

 **Now. The poll. Guys, we're kind of tied? I have like 18 votes for werewolf, 16 for vampire, and 2 don't cares... I've decided I'm not going to take into account unofficial votes. If you really want to vote, you'll need to make an account. I shouldn't have made "don't care" a choice because I can use those as swing votes. So it's good and not good. If you haven't voted, I'm going to extend the poll until chapter...3. Let's go with chapter 3 of the actual story. Not including the family tree. So this is chapter 1. You have TWO chapters to vote.**

 **How to Vote: if you're on a tablet or mobile phone, you'll need to go to the desktop version of the app. Then go to my profile page. At the top of it should be the poll. If you're not signed into your account, you need to be. I'm pretty sure guests can't vote. Please go do this! We are tied. I can write the story both ways as Cole a werewolf or a vampire. We gotta decide and I want you guys to influence me!**

 **Alright. Enough ranting! Get reading!**

 **Please Enjoy!**

* * *

 **RyellPOV**

There were some days when I just wanted to punch something or be a complete, raging bitch.

Today was one of them.

I was sitting ladylike in a chair next to my father and pack leader, Walker Johnson. My ankles were crossed and my hands clasped in my lap. Well, now they were clenched tightly while I listened to the male on the other side of the desk talk. He was young, probably in his mid-twenties. The reason he was here was in her early twenties.

Dad leaned back in his chair and leaned an elbow onto the arm. "I never said she was here. You're assuming."

The male, Richard, gave Dad a look. "I know she's here. I followed her scent as well as got a tip."

Dad shook his head. "Not from anyone around here, which would be the only people in the know about my pack. All the packs around me are my allies and none of them would say a word. You're guessing."

"Actually, I know. Her scent is all over the place. I would know it because she left me right after she got pregnant. That's a very singular scent."

Dad's eyes slid to me at the same time I looked over at him. "Alright, say she is here, what do you want?"

Richard gestured with his hands. "Her. And the child."

I couldn't help the derisive snort.

Both men looked over at me.

I gave Richard a condescending eyebrow quirk and a cool stare.

He looked back to Dad. "Is there a reason she's in here?"

At his superior tone, Dad sat up with his own raised brows. "Yes, there is. She's my daughter and will someday inherit the pack. Not that it's any of your business."

My cool stare turned to a smile. Over the past couple years, Dad had healed himself back into his former glory after a witch gifted with poison had infected him. He'd been trapped in his own mind while in reality his body had started to wither away. Now, after two years and many hours of rehab with Edward and Carlisle Cullen, he was back to fighting form and just as imposing.

Richard's gaze came back to study me. "Then I guess I should address you. Do you have a problem with me taking what's mine?"

I wanted to be rash and snap, but I didn't. I was being groomed to take over. To get respect, I needed to show respect. So I looked to Dad questioningly before I answered.

He studied me for a moment before nodding.

I looked back to Dick and relaxed back into my chair. "Yes. I do have a problem."

"And why is that?" he demanded with attitude.

I lost my humor, my expression going cold. "I have a problem because she isn't yours anymore. She came to us for protection…from you. Why on earth would we just let you take her when I know for a fact that she'd never go willingly back to you?"

His stare hardened, jaw clenching in anger. You know, I'd figure that if you finally found someone you cared about, you'd be relieved. Not this guy.

"So she is here," he said angrily.

"Yes," Dad said. "She is. And my daughter is right; you can't have her. Or the child."

Richard stood up fast and angry. "I have a right-,"

I was on my feet a moment later, Dad not far behind. Instinctively, I knew Jason had come off the wall in preparation for a fight. He was standing in the corner in shadow, watching and waiting.

I slammed my palm on the desk and leaned toward the giant Dick across from me. " _Not_ when you put bruises in her skin," I said viciously. " _Not_ when you beat her when she was still _pregnant_ with _your_ child. My dad and I promised her safety within our territory, which means you will never even lay your eyes on her again."

"That's my child!" he yelled, leaning toward me.

Now I slammed my fist onto the desk. "Are you not listening?! As far as we're concerned, you forfeited your paternal rights the moment you laid your hands on her _knowing_ she was pregnant. If it were up to me, I'd rip you apart right now or let Jason beat you to a pulp. I'm sure he'd like that."

Behind us, knuckles cracked ominously.

We glared at each other for a couple heartbeats before his eyes slid to Dad. "You're not going to say anything?"

Keeping Dick in my peripheral vision, I glanced at Dad. He sat down again and shrugged. He looked casual, but I knew he was tense to move at a moment's notice to interfere if the other male came after me. "She's not saying anything I wouldn't. She's not wrong. You're not getting Penelope or her child. She's ours now. Go find a female who actually likes to be beaten."

The male's eyes bugged out. "You're _dismissing_ me?!"

When Dad looked up at him, his eyes were pale wolf green. "Either you leave on your own," he said in a low growl, "or I'm sure Jason will enjoy throwing you out. Either way, you're leaving. Now."

Jason stepped forward threateningly. He'd bulked up over the past two years after taking the position for head enforcer. He also had zero tolerance for female and child abusers seeing as how he had a mate and two sisters plus a toddler brother he was taking care of.

Richard seemed nervous at the hulking male glaring at him but still opened his stupid mouth. "You can't do this-,"

Jason growled and Dad stood up. "Oh, I assure you I can. Penny is part of my pack now. The ceremony is done. And I protect my pack from abusers like you who think lesser people are property and therefore can beat them whenever you damn well please." He stood up to his full height and let his power flow around the room. "My wolves have my protection. Always. So if you mess with them, you face me. You face me and somehow beat me, you're going to have four packs and a coven of vampires after your ass. Now, is that something you really think you can contend with?"

The male considered his options, looking from me to Dad to Jason. Finally, he backed down, shoulders slumping in defeat.

Dad nodded and looked to Jason. "All yours."

"Elias," Jason called.

A moment later, the door to the office opened and Jason's second in command walked in. He bowed to Dad before looking respectfully to Jason.

Jason pointed his chin at Richard. "Make sure he gets up to Port Angeles and out of our territory."

Elias nodded and gave Richard a look, telling him to start walking or he'd help him out. Violently.

Richard finally went. The moment the door closed behind him and Elias, I sat back in the chair and let out a frustrated growl. Then I looked over to see Dad and Jason giving me identical grins.

"What?"

"That was badass," Jason said.

Dad chuckled. "Exactly how I thought that would go."

I shrugged. "Penny and I are friends. I saw how beat up she was when she came here. She's terrified of him. The only way he'll get her is over my dead body. And if I'm dead, it's not just you he's going to have to worry about."

Both of them nodded with equally wide eyes. "Dox," they said together.

I sighed happily at my mate's name. Maddox Black was the son of the Quileute pack leader, Jacob Black. He, like me, trained with my dad to learn the ins and outs of pack life with the Children of the Moon. Though Dox was a different kind of wolf shapeshifter, he wanted to learn since he was my mate, and I would someday inherit this pack. I wanted him to rule beside me, not behind me. I'd need his advice, and for that to happen, he needed to know what I knew about pack politics and customs.

Dad shot me a very paternal look. A look to which I rolled my eyes. He never believed me when I told him Dox and I weren't sleeping together yet. Key word being "yet". When we'd learned that we were soulmates, I'd only been fifteen. And he wasn't the type of male to push something like that. All the males of the Quileute pack were raised as pure gentlemen. Uncle Jacob had nearly made it an order. As alpha of the pack, he could do that. The Quileutes were as foreign to me as the Children were to Dox even though both of us had grown up around both packs.

 _Anyway,_ Dad didn't believe that we hadn't started sleeping together. There were occasions where we did sleep in the same bed with some making out, but no sex. Not yet. I wanted to wait until either we were close to being mated or married or until we actually _were_ mated or married. Technically, by the Children's customs, I'd been an adult at sixteen. So, Dox and I could get mated by Children's traditions. But neither of us really felt it was the right time. We wanted to go slower. Not to mention, his sister, Jules, was still planning her wedding set for some time this year.

While Dad pinched the bridge of his nose, Jason grinned and winked at me.

I smiled back. "Dad?"

"Hmm?"

"Is it okay if I head out? Dox is probably waiting since he knew I was gonna be in this meeting, and Jules says she and Piper need my help for wedding stuff. Me, of all people."

Sighing, he waved toward the door. "Go on. I need to get some work done without you asking me a million questions anyway."

Leaning over the arms of the chairs, I kissed his cheek. "Thanks, Daddy. I don't know if I'll be home for dinner. Depends on what Jules needs. I'll text you if I'll be late."

He sighed again, this time in exasperation. "I wish you'd let Jason assign you an enforcer."

I grinned as I started for the door. "Not a chance, Daddy-o." I winked at Jason and made my exit.

Outside, Dox was waiting for me. He was turned toward where I assumed Elias had disappeared with Dick.

I put my hands on Dox's broad shoulders. "Hey, you." When he turned, I flinched. "What happened to you?"

He was sporting a split lip that was already healing.

He dabbed at it with his thumb. "Bastard tried to make a run for it."

"And?"

He smirked menacingly. "He's unconscious," he said, putting his hands on my hips.

Smirking back, I put one arm around his neck and the other hand on his chest. "That sounds very violent, Mr. Black."

He pulled me against his body. "Oh it was," he growled on his way to put his lips against mine.

The kiss was gentle but firm with just a little tongue.

When he pulled back, he studied me. "You okay?"

I nodded. "Yep. Neither Dad nor Jason were going to let anything happen to me in there. Besides, I'd have kicked his ass myself."

He snorted and shook his head. "Of that, I have no doubt. Any other problems?"

I shook my head. "No, although I'm not exactly feeling that great about just letting him go."

"You think he'll come back?"

I looked in the direction they'd disappeared and chewed my lip. "I don't know. He seemed pretty distraught at having his favorite punching bag taken away from him. He's desperate to get her back. And God only knows what he'd do to that baby."

Dox slid his hands around my waist so that his arms were enveloping me. "Baby, he's not going to get anywhere near her, even if he does come back. The whole pack knows what he looks like. Not to mention, after this episode, Jason is probably thinking what you are. He'll put some of his guys on her, especially if you ask."

That wasn't a bad idea considering how I felt. "I'll talk to him. Now, where are your sister and Piper holed up?"

"With Hunter at Hunter's. While you're busy, I'll go to the shop."

Dox took my hand as we started walking toward the parking area for the pack vehicles. Embry and Uncle Jake had decided to pretty much combine and expand the auto shops they'd been given years and years ago. Since they'd been owned by the same guy, the two men thought it would be good to have a rotating staff so that wolves could have days off to run patrol or hang out with their families. Dox was apprenticing down at his dad's location because Uncle Jake had added on to the building allowing for more business. In the way of a job, Dox's twin brother, Ash, was taking online classes to become a teacher, which didn't surprise anybody. But me? Being a pack leader was a full time job in and of itself. I needed to be available twenty-four/seven so a job would impede my duties to the pack. In return, the pack basically supported itself. Most members, except the enforcers, had jobs either in Forks, on the rez, or online. They all tithed a small amount into an account that supported the pack's needs like electricity, water, and food. Since the account was carefully monitored by the Cullens, anyone found abusing it would have their privileges cut off by having their card taken from them and given an allotted amount of cash for the week. Whatever they spent it on was on them. It was a system that worked, so we'd used it all these years.

Thirty minutes later, Dox was pulling up into his eldest brother's driveway. William Black and his mate, Hunter, lived in a cute house that had been built on his grandfather, Billy Black's, property. After he'd passed, Jacob had given the land to Will to raise his family.

When Dox stopped the car but put it in park, I looked at him. "What are you doing?"

He looked bewildered. "Dropping you off?"

I laughed. "Are you crazy? Cordy's in that house. She will be tremendously upset if her uncle doesn't come in to say hi to her. You know that."

He rolled his eyes. "She needs to learn-,"

I slapped his shoulder. "She's three, Dox. And shut up. You know you love that she wants to see you all the time."

Cordelia was Will and Hunter's daughter, and Dox had the biggest soft spot for his niece. He couldn't refuse her anything. And somehow, she always knew if he dropped me off without going inside. The last time that happened, I'd called him to get his fine ass back to the house to come inside to see her because of the tantrum she'd thrown. Nothing, absolutely _nothing_ , had calmed her down until Dox specifically held her. Not even her own father holding her had done anything to stop her wailing.

He grinned while sighing and putting the car in park and turning it off. "I am so not getting to the shop today."

We got out and walked up to the door hand in hand. But the moment we walked through the door, my mate was no longer mine.

Cordy was waiting. "Doc, Doc!"

Her nearly three-year-old piggy-tailed self ran at him with a toothy grin. Her hair was the darkest of browns without being black. But she did have natural red and black highlights from the mix of her parents.

Dox knelt down and scooped her up to bring her against his face so he could kiss her cheek. She giggled and kissed him back.

"My favorite niece," he grinned.

I shook my head. "Your only niece."

He waggled his eyebrows. "For now. Ash and Cole can't reproduce, so it's up to Will or Jules to provide the nieces and nephews."

"I heard that!"

We both looked around the column that was blocking our view of the dining area. Jules was giving us a quirked eyebrow and pursed lips. Hunter sat next to her, smirking. Piper grinned and shook her head.

"We'll get right on that," she said in a thick British accent. "I'll tell Will you want us to have another."

We walked over to the table where pictures and fabric swatches were spread out everywhere.

"He'll kill me," Dox said, sitting down with Cordy in his lap.

"You don't want another?" Piper asked as I sat down across from her.

Hunter shrugged. "It's not that we don't. It just hasn't happened. But I hope it does. I want her to have siblings like her father's. Like mine."

"Aww," Jules said.

If anything, she'd gotten prettier over the past two years. Her black and copper hair was cut and styled differently. She now constantly wore just a little makeup, some eyeliner, to make her aqua eyes pop even more, and tinted lip balm. Nothing over the top. She worked out besides the sparring with the enforcers. She'd said that she wanted a lean figure so she'd started running every morning. But because she was getting lean, she'd either actually filled out more in the chest area or just seemed that way. I wasn't sure which, and we weren't close enough for me to ask. Or maybe we were and I just stayed distanced. I was still getting used to being social. It was Dox's fault. He was outgoing and wasn't fond of just sitting around reading or playing video games. He wanted to be out and about. So as his mate, I went out and about with him. Most of the time, I didn't get a choice. He'd throw me over his shoulder and carry me out of the house. The boy had gotten taller and filled out even more in the muscle area, so I actually doubted my ability to take him on. He'd crush me.

Piper was glowing, too. Her black hair was longer than ever and she'd taken to starting to braid it. Especially when she ran with Jules. Jason's teeth marks were still around her neck, and they were planning a mating for not long after Jules and Bray's wedding. Piper was one of the most sought out people since she was something called a born alpha. It was a far off legend but she'd ended up with a small pack of her own. And now that Jason's little brother had grown out of his infant stage and a schedule had been created with Jason and his sisters, she was getting more sleep. Liam was also a huge hit with Piper and Jason's pack, so they often didn't mind watching him for their leaders.

"So, how'd the meeting go?" Jules asked me.

I scoffed. "Dude was a…" I looked at Cordy. "Not a nice guy," I said, changing my language.

They smirked.

"Tried to tell us he had rights because of the baby. I told him that as far as the entire pack is concerned, he gave up his paternal rights the moment he laid his hands on Penny knowing she was pregnant."

Everyone at the table nodded.

Dox shook his head. "I just don't understand a man's need to beat a female." He looked at me. "If I ever hit you, you have my complete understanding and permission to murder me."

I grinned at him.

"Or hurt a child," Hunter said. "I know Will had some issues when Cordy was born, but I promise you, the moment he heard about Penny, he was ready to hunt that male down. It was very hard to convince him not to, especially when I wanted to do the same. That's why I sent him to work today. Jacob would make sure he didn't do anything stupid." She looked at me. "Did he seem concerned for Nora?"

I shook my head and played with Cordy's hand when she reached for me. "Not at all. I hate to think what he would have done to that child if Penny hadn't left him."

"Nothing good," Piper muttered.

We all went quiet and watched Cordy as Dox played with her. It was agreed that there was no greater crime than a sin against a child. We were all protective of the kids running around.

"Well," Dox said after a few minutes. "I gotta get to the shop." He handed Cordy over to me as he got up, then he kissed her forehead before pressing his lips to mine. "I'll see ya later. Have fun."

I smiled. "Will do."

Cordy was actually fine…until he closed the front door behind himself.

Her little lip poked out and her chin trembled. "Doc?" she said pitifully because she couldn't yet say "Dox".

Hunter, Jules, Piper, and I looked at each other in panic.

"Uh-oh," Hunter said softly and got up to come get her daughter.

In an effort to distract Cordy, I brushed stray strands of her hair back. "It's okay, sweetie. He'll be back."

Her hazel eyes looked at me, shimmering with tears.

I nodded. "In a little bit. He'll come back."

When I rubbed her back, she calmed down. Her body fell against my chest and shoulder to look over my shoulder at the front door. And then Hunter tried to take her. Cordy screamed and buried her face against my neck, hands gripping my shirt.

I held my hand up and shook my head. "She's fine."

"You sure?"

I nodded. "Yeah. It's alright." I was used to my own nephew, Mitch. He'd grown out of this stage but I remembered it.

Sighing, Hunter went to go sit down.

It took a couple minutes but I finally got Cordy down to a few sniffles before she was calming down and getting happy again. She sat down on my lap and played with the charm bracelet Dox had gotten me for my birthday.

The three of us took deep breaths and let them out in relief.

"So," I said, "what are we planning?"

 **AshPOV**

I was leaning against the wall outside the boys' locker room in the new high school when Dox's text came through. I'd been expecting yet another one from Jules or Hunter. Apparently the meeting had gone as expected and Dox had had to intervene to keep the guy from taking off. Well, good thing he was there.

Inside the locker room, I heard the shower cut off. A few minutes later, Cole was walking out into the hall with his wet blond hair in his eyes and gym bag over his shoulder. His hair was blonder than usual because the past summer had actually been warm and full of more sunshine than normal. Both of his parents had been of mixed blood, but since they'd had Quileute in them, they'd been allowed to stay on the rez way back before Cole was born. So even though he looked more Caucasian, he still had Quileute blood. Over the past couple years since graduating from high school, he'd been offered the job of football coach. It was fitting what with him having been the star quarterback since his sophomore year. And because of his status as coach, he worked out with the team. At twenty-one, he'd finally grown into those broad shoulders and was now an inch taller than me.

"Sorry," he said, leaning in to kiss me as I pushed off from the wall. "I decided I wanted a shower after all."

"No worries," I said as we walked shoulder to shoulder down the hall. "I was going through all the texts that Jules and Hunter have been sending me. Seriously, why do people think that just because I'm gay, I need to be involved in this wedding planning? Or that I have any fashion sense? I wear jeans and t-shirts just like anybody else."

Cole laughed and took my hand. "Even though you're a man's man, you still have good taste, Ash. Besides, you're her brother. She wants you involved."

"Will isn't involved," I grumbled.

"His house is wedding headquarters. How do you figure he's not involved?"

"Fine. Dox isn't involved."

Cole gave me a look and shook his head. "Babe, he's Ryell's mate. Trust me, he's involved, too."

"Ugh. Why aren't they sending you this crap? You're gay, too."

My mate laughed again. "Because they probably figure you'll show me. We are always together."

I growled. "And how is it you know everything?"

"I don't. I just had a sister at one point in my life so I know how the sharing thing works."

My good mood deflated. "I'm sorry."

He frowned at me. "Sorry for what?" When I didn't answer, he said, "Ash, stop. I don't care about them. Really. I'm totally over it. It's been over two years, and they've been the happiest two years of my life. I know who my real family is, and it's not those assholes Dox saved me from that day. I can talk about them without problem. I don't talk about them out of guilt. Just as reference."

Letting it go, I squeezed his hand. "Okay. So, moving on. What do you want to do today? I finished my class stuff for the week."

"Of course you did," Cole said with affection. Tugging on my hand, he pulled me toward him so that he could kiss me. "My clever little nerd."

I pulled back just a little. "Compliment?"

"Always."

We moved in for another kiss.

"Uh, Coach?"

I broke apart from him rather hurriedly and faced away from the student.

Cole kept my hand to prevent me from completely walking away. I heard both his irritation and amusement when he answered. "Yeah, Nick?"

The kid sounded uncomfortable. "I, uh, I'm not gonna be able to be at practice tomorrow. I have a doctor's appointment."

"That's fine. I know it's not required, but if you can swing it, I'd like a note at the next practice."

I saw Nick nod. "Sure, Coach." He hiked his gear higher on his shoulder as he nodded to me. "Mr. Black." Then he turned and walked out the door.

It wasn't until the door clanged shut and the air-conditioned hush flowed over us again before Cole pulled me back to him.

"Why do you do that?" he asked.

"Do what?" Even though I knew what he meant.

He brought his hand up to my face, calloused fingers gently brushing my cheek. "Pull away like that. Are you still nervous about us out in public?"

I looked up into his eyes. "But we're not in public. We're in a high school. He's a kid."

For some reason, when we were out and about, I was actually nervous about us being seen together. With the family was a different story, but everywhere else, I knew we got stares. Like Nick's. He was like Cole, a junior star player who was already being watched by colleges. But the look he'd given us had been one of curiosity and embarrassment like he didn't know how to act.

To give me his full attention, Cole put his bag down and cupped my face. "Ash, listen to me. I don't care what other people think. Too long, I spent afraid. Because of your family, I'm not anymore. Nick knows, hell the whole team knows, about us. I have gay and bisexual players. Many of them have come to me asking for advice. You know what?"

And then he started running out the door.

Surprised, I picked up his bag and followed.

"Nick! Hey, Nick!

Oh, God.

The kid stopped and waited for Cole to catch up to him. "Yeah?"

Cole stopped near him but not too close. "I want to ask you something but I don't want you to feel uncomfortable. You mind?"

Nick looked at me and then back to Cole before shaking his head. "Nope. What's up?"

"I'm just gonna be blunt. Back there, were you uneasy seeing that?"

His eyebrows went up. "You mean seeing you kiss?"

Cole nodded.

Nick shook his head. "Not at all. It was just embarrassing walking in on the moment and having to interrupt. To be honest, I don't really care that you're gay, Coach. None of us care. We trust you. And my best friend is bi. He still sleeps over at my place. Why?"

"Ah," Cole said, glancing at me, "no reason."

It was evident he didn't believe Cole, but he nodded anyway before looking at me. "I'll see ya for algebra tutoring on Friday?"

Thrown, I nodded. "Yeah. Bring your quizzes and tests. We'll start prepping for the midterm."

"Will do," he said turning to head for the parking lot. "See ya later!"

Cole turned back to me. "See? He's not that much younger than you, and he's right. They're the future of the rez, maybe even the pack. Our lives are not the rez's business."

"It is when we're in the school system. Have you seen the nightly news lately?"

He gave me a patient look. "The school knew I was gay when they hired me. The rez knew I was gay when they hired me. Nobody said anything in protest. What the hell makes you think that will change when you come to teach here? They're not going to be worried about us going after their sons. They're going to be worried that you and I will spend more time in the janitor's closet together than teaching and coaching."

That made me snort.

"Honestly," he said, taking his bag from me. "When are you going to realize that our slice of home is not normal compared to everywhere else in the U.S.? Our tribe knows that circumstances are much different. There are giant wolves running around the woods as well as vampires. We're pretty unique."

"Yeah but what about the people like those pathetic excuses for parents you had? They aren't the only ones who feel that way, Cole."

Cole grabbed my hand and started pulling us toward his car. Instead of taking the offer for my family to buy one for him, he'd taken out a loan and bought one himself. He said if they really wanted to help, they could loan him money in case he couldn't make a payment. My dad was a cosigner for him.

"Listen, we've been together for a while, Ash. Close to four years now. We've been out of the closet for almost three, and so far, nobody has tried to stone us or yelled out obscene remarks. Instead, they talk to you with respect. And me? They treat me like any other Joe Shmoe off the street. We're not the only gay couple around here. They've gotten used to it. But I get that this is new to you and you're waiting for the other shoe to drop." At the car, he turned around to face me. "Ash, I love you and I want to be with you. Not just behind closed doors. I want you to be gay with me."

I laughed again.

He took my hands. "We'll deal with anything that comes our way together. If they attack you, I'll be right there to defend you. And I know you'll do the same for me. Hell, I know Dox will. He's already saved my life. And don't worry about the school or the team. Nick is team captain and he knows all those players better than anyone. He takes care of them. If any of them had a problem, he'd tell me. And the parents? If they'd had a problem when I was hired, they should have said something then. This is my second year as the official coach; I still haven't heard a single complaint." He squeezed my hands. "Don't create problems where there aren't any. Okay? Let's just…"

"Be gay together?" I offered.

He grinned. "Yeah. Let's do that. Our family loves us. They just want us happy. So who the fuck cares what anybody else thinks? We have our family. If things get bad, we turn into cranky old men who shack up together."

Laughing, I said, "Okay, okay." I leaned in to kiss him. "I'm sorry."

"Forgiven, forgotten. Now, let's go get some food and make plans for the day. I'm starving."

"Sounds good to me. We might need to stop to see the girls to give our opinions. They're not gonna leave us alone."

He sighed as he threw his bag in the trunk and we both got in. "This is true. But after we eat. I'm seriously wasting away right now."

Reaching over, I squeezed his bicep. A flutter of lust hit my stomach. "Nah, you're still good. But we should feed you just in case."

Cole winked at me before pulling out of the parking lot. Once we were on the road, he put his palm on my thigh and rubbed my leg. My body tightened.

We had yet to seal the deal on sex but only because we were still in the playing stage. Thankfully, we liked similar things in the form of foreplay and were both in the same boat as far as our comfort level for our bodies' endurance to sizes and play speed. Cole was the one to buy all the bedroom stuff on his own card even though I knew Grampa had hacked his account and was monitoring it. But for some reason, Cole wanted to wait on the actual sex. I wasn't sure why. As long as we didn't stop completely, I was okay with it.

Over the past couple years, the rez had built up. It was becoming more touristy with cafes and restaurants and shopping centers. Cole took us to his favorite sub shop. Pretty much everyone in there knew us and were friendly, nodding and waving. Even some of the parents of a few football players were in. The dads came over to talk football and ask how to tutoring was going. The team was important to Cole so I'd offered my tutoring services to anybody struggling or just wanted to improve their grades.

But Cole's point was proven when not one of them said anything about us being a gay couple. They just shook our hands and went back to their food. Just like they did every day.

Cole gave me a look over his sandwich. "See?"

I rolled my eyes. Most days I was okay, but sometimes my insecurities would spike, especially if we were on the rez for a long period of time.

Cole took my hand. "We can go back home," he said, knowing exactly what was going on in my head. "I'm cool with a day at home. We've been running around a lot helping Jules with the wedding pick-ups."

"We gotta stop and see her."

"I'm good with that."

I smiled. "Cordy will be there. Will's at the shop today, but Hunter isn't working."

Cole laughed. "Ah, so we won't be leaving anytime soon and I get to hear her call you 'Ass'. I think I can live with that."

I fired a napkin at his head. "Jerk."

But it was the cutest thing and everyone got a kick out of it. Cordy was old enough to talk but at that stage where she just couldn't pronounce certain things. So Dox was Doc and I was Ass. Cole was Co. And of course, Jules was the all popular Jue. Just what Will, Dox, and I used to call our sister. Hunter was trying to get her to use titles like aunt and uncle, but Cordy was also in that rebellious stage. And of course Will was wrapped around her finger so he wasn't going to force his baby girl to do anything she didn't want to do. To be honest, the rest of us were like that too. Dox, Jules, Piper, Cole, Bray, Ryell, and I, as aunts and uncles, couldn't deny her anything. Bray and Jules were her godparents, so it was even worse for them.

"It's adorable and you know you love it. She's innocent and has no idea what she's actually saying."

I nodded. "Knowing Will, though, he'll make it a thing when she's older."

"And I'll still laugh."

I gave him a deadpan look. "You're infuriating. Shall we? Before my phone explodes with more questions?"

We both wrapped up what was left of our food, got refills on drinks, and left. Jules was super excited to learn that we were coming over. In the driveway, Cole parked behind Jules's new dark red Jeep Compass. It seemed like our family was a group of Jeep people. Will also had a Wrangler and Hunter had a Liberty. Since Cole and I lived together on Walker's compound, we shared a vehicle. Dox just used the pack vehicles because he stayed on the compound, too. He wanted to stay close to Ryell.

Piper had probably ridden down with Jules, and Dox had probably dropped Ryell off before going to the shop.

Cole knocked on the door before walking inside. I loved how comfortable he'd gotten with the entire family and they with him. They accepted him completely.

"Hey, hey," he said in greeting.

"Oh thank God," Piper yelled. "The gays are here."

I flipped her off before Cordy saw. She was climbing Ryell's lap.

"Co! Ass!"

We all burst into laughter.

Ryell set her down on her feet and toddled her way over to us. Cole was the one to pick her up and swing her around. When he sat her on his arm, she snuggled against his chest. Then she smiled at me and threw her upper body over at me. Cole caught her with an "oomph". She reached out her little arms to wrap them around my neck and kiss me. Once I hugged and kissed her back, she went back to Cole.

"So," I said walking over to the table. "What's the emergency? You've been blowing my phone up all day."

My sister shook her head and pushed her long hair off her face. "I have lots of emergencies, Ash. Pick one."

"You pick one. Why couldn't you just call Alice? She's Wedding Woman."

She sighed and dropped her hands to the table. "I know, but she's busy with the dresses. I don't want her scattered everywhere. Besides, I want to do this. I just…" she deflated, shoulders slumping.

Feeling for her, I walked over to look over her shoulder at the table. "Okay, take it easy. We'll all figure it out. What's the first emergency?"

"First? I guess the most important would be place."

"You still don't know?"

She glared up at me.

I held my hands up in surrender. "Sorry, sorry. Okay, so how many people are coming?"

Now she gave me a defeated look. "Everyone. Like, all three packs and the Cullens."

I had to school my expression. "Ah, alright. Well, we'll need a big spot. Inside or out?"

"Doesn't matter, but I don't want it at the cliffs or the beach or in the middle of nowhere. Not the compound either. That was our engagement. I want them to be separate memories." She looked up at me with pitiful eyes. "Is that stupid?"

I put one hand on the back of her chair and one on the table so I could lean down to look in her eyes. "That's not stupid at all. It makes perfect sense."

She looked up at me with love and gratitude.

"Now, have you thought about the river near Grama and Grampa's? Maybe asking them to use the cottage to get ready? It would make for some great pictures. The area has great canopy cover in case it rains. And they built the bridge. You could say your vows there, maybe even set a tent up over that area because it's not as covered by the trees."

Ryell sat forward and flipped through some papers. She found a print out of a picture. "This," she said, sliding it over. "You could do something like that. Maybe have the wedding in the afternoon to early evening. The lights would be pretty on the water." It was a picture of an elegant tent-like structure with strung lights and ivy vines wrapped around it

"Ooo," Piper said. "And you could have the bridesmaids and groomsmen stand on either side of you as usual and all the guests turned toward the bridge so they're seeing you from the front, not across the bridge, like this." She drew a messy sketch on the back of a piece of paper.

Jules studied the pictures for only a second before she suddenly stood up and hugged me. "Thank you! I've been struggling so much with this."

I hugged her back. "Hey, together, we'll all figure this out."

"I also need a photographer," she said in a pouty voice.

I chuckled. "Okay."

"I don't want Esme to do it. She's always on the sidelines. I want her to be more a part of it, but I don't know how to tell her."

Pulling back, I guided her back to her chair. "She'll love that you're thinking of her like that."

Cole came up beside me with Cordy. He was rocking and dancing a little with her. "You could do that disposable camera thing."

"What do you mean?" Hunter asked.

Jules and I shared a frown before she smiled in understanding.

"That's a great idea, Cole! That way Esme could still take pictures for us."

I shook my head. "I don't know what that is."

Hunter shrugged. "Me either."

"It's when the guests are given their own cameras to take pictures," Cole answered. "Generally there are only one or two photographers and they can't be everywhere at once. This way, the guests have thousands of things to take photos of. I'm not saying you couldn't still have a professional, but if those don't turn out, you'll have hundreds of others to pick from."

This time, Jules got up to hug Cole. "You are a genius!" Then she played with Cordy. "Uncle Cole is a very smart man, isn't he?"

"Ya!" Cordy said, nodding enthusiastically.

We all laughed as Jules sat down. Hunter, Piper, and Ryell had started pulling papers and magazine clippings of the table to compile them, mixing and matching.

"Okay," I said. "Two emergencies down. Why don't you take a moment to write down the list of things you need to get done, then write it starting with the most important."

Jules nodded and sat down. "I can do that."

Leaning over, I kissed the top of her head. "Good. Text them to me. Cole and I are gonna go home and I'll look up some photographers close by just to have some professional pictures in the mix."

"You are the very best. Thank you so much!"

When I looked up at Cole, I nodded toward the door.

He nodded back and went to Hunter. "I believe that this belongs to you."

Grinning, Hunter leaned back to take her half-asleep kid. "I swear, you have such a way with kids. What is it about you that calms them down?"

My mate shrugged. "No idea. But you're welcome," he said quietly. He looked at all the girls. "Have fun, you guys. Call if you need anything. We'll be at home."

He took my hand but I looked at Jules. "Don't forget to call Grama and ask about the cottage."

Tongue between her teeth and brow furrowed, she nodded as she scribbled furiously. "Sure thing."

As Cole dragged me toward the door, I waved to everyone. Outside, rain had started to come down in little patters, not yet heavy enough to really worry about. For a moment, I stopped and tilted my head back, feeling the cool drops land on my permanently hot skin.

Gripping the hand of the man I loved, I just stood there, soaking it all in. Our lives and how peaceful they'd been. Jules was about to marry her imprint. Will had married Hunter in a small, private family ceremony and then mated her in a Children of the Moon ceremony. He had the burn scars to prove it. Dox was learning the customs of the Children to help Ryell take over when Uncle Walker stepped down. And I was going to teach a class in the high school only available to our school: a history of the Quileute myths and legends. Dad and Principal Channing both thought that it would be good for our people, our kids, to know about the realities of the world they lived in. Cole was the coach at the same school and was also taking classes to become a physical education teacher, but they were slow going because he was only taking a couple classes a semester. He didn't want either school or coaching to take a front seat to the other. The kids, like Nick, meant a lot to him, especially since we couldn't have kids of our own.

The rain began to fall harder and I held my arms out, grinning. I loved rain. A lot of times, I couldn't understand why people would run when it started to rain. I loved the sound it made hitting a tin roof or the patter on the leaves of trees. The smell made me think of cozy days in the house with Cole or the family. I loved sitting on the cliffs and watching it hit the ocean only to be consumed by waves.

Taking a deep, happy breath, I slowly opened my eyes to see Cole leaning back against the car, his arms and legs crossed. His blonde hair was plastered to his temples and forehead. There was a soft smile stretching his lips and warmth in his eyes as he watched me.

"You could have gotten in the car."

He shook his head, water slipping down his face. "Nah. I wanted to watch you with nothing between us."

I smiled and walked over to the car. "Got any towels or a blanket?"

Cole waved it away. "The seats are leather. I'll just rub them down when we get home. No worries."

The drive back was a peaceful one full of sports radio. Cole loved his sports, so I didn't mind at all. Whatever he loved, I fully supported.

Back on the compound, he kept the car on the new road that wound through the entire territory. Uncle Walker had made some improvements to the land. Cole and I had been moved out of the guest cabin and into our own home. It was still a one story cabin, but it was much bigger with three bedrooms, two and a half baths, a full kitchen and dining area, and a huge living room. We also had a driveway with a covered carport. Walker had gone on to build something akin to small neighborhoods throughout his massive territory, expanding the pack, letting them spread out.

Another reason for the house? Cole had officially decided that he wanted to become pack. Since that was his decision and was mated to me, someone essentially considered Quileute royalty, we got our own house. We weren't officially mated but everyone knew he was my imprint. By Quileute pack law, imprints were mates. And when he was turned, I'd be his true mate. He hadn't yet decided when he wanted to go through the change. The infection that the Children carried had to be set deep. Sometimes a scratch would work, but over the years, they'd found that the deeper the claws went the more successful the infection set in. Cole would probably be out of it for a couple days until the infection took hold and started to heal him supernaturally fast. He was probably worried about the team, and that was probably why he was looking for an assistant coach to temporarily take over for him or to step in when needed since he'd need some time to learn to control certain aspects of being a werewolf.

He pulled up under the carport, the sound of rain hitting roof cutting off suddenly. It was almost deafening until my hearing reached out to hear the rain on the overhang. While he went to the trunk, I stepped into the side door to the cabin and grabbed a towel from beside the dryer. Having a laundry room was great. After drying off the seats in the car, I went inside and threw the towel in the hamper.

"Now I need a shower," I said, pulling my shirt away from my body. "Join me?"

When he didn't answer, I turned around. He was staring down at a piece of mail that was laying on the kitchen counter. He must have grabbed the mail on his way into the house.

"Cole? What is it?"

Swallowing hard, he held up the piece so I could see that the address was handwritten. "It's from my sister."

I frowned and walked over to him. "Victoria?" I looked up at him. "Are you going to open it?"

He looked angry and nervous just holding the damn thing. "I don't know if I should."

After a moment, I held my hand out. "I will if you want me to. That way one of us knows what it says."

Mulling it over, he finally nodded and handed it to me.

I scraped it open and found a card. Opening the card, I had to catch whatever was about to fall out. And good thing I did, too. It was an ultrasound. She was pregnant. And far enough along to tell the sex. The card itself had been just a blank white one until she'd written in it. There wasn't really that much to it. Just stating what was obvious by the presence of the ultrasound and that she wanted to meet up with Cole to talk.

"Well?" he asked. "What is it?"

I flipped my eyes up to him. "You sure you wanna know?"

He swallowed hard again and nodded. "Might as well. Something surprised you."

I smirked fleetingly. "And here I thought I'd schooled my expression."

He shook his head. "Not from me. Tell me. Please."

"Well, she, uh, she wants to see you."

His brows shot into his hair. "What? Why?"

Debating how to tell him, I just decided to show him the picture of his unborn nephew. "She's pregnant."

In astonishment, his jaw dropped as he took the image from me.

"She didn't say what she wanted to talk to you about specifically, but I bet the baby has something to do with it."

"No shit," he said in a breathy tone. "Especially if she's not married. Mom's real religious; she wouldn't be happy with Toria getting pregnant out of wedlock. And what Mom doesn't like, Dad doesn't either."

Taking that bit of information in, I asked, "Is she the reason your dad treated you the way he did? Because she didn't like it?"

Still staring at the picture, he shook his head. "No. Dad's basically homophobic. He doesn't want a man to act any sort of affectionate toward him other than a manly handshake and backslap. He hates any sort of…gayness, I guess. Lesbians he was okay with, but two men?" He shook his head. "It was unnatural. Mom just prodded him to try to straighten me out. Apparently beating me was the only way to do that."

Feeling for him and not knowing what to do, I touched his arm. "At least they didn't send you to one of those camps where we couldn't get to you."

He managed a small smile. "Small favors, I guess."

I smiled back sympathetically. "So are you going to meet up with her?"

I'd never really seen Cole at a loss for words but he was now. He kept staring down at the picture as he debated. "I don't know," he said finally. "I hated them at first, when Dox took me away. Hate is actually a weak word, but now? I'm indifferent. They're just strangers to me."

"But?"

"But Victoria wouldn't ask to see me if it wasn't something important. And because it involves a kid…"

"Your nephew."

He nodded.

I held up the card. "She left her number."

"It's not hers," he said taking the card. "Even if she didn't live with them anymore, they're too controlling for her to have contact information that they don't know about."

My brows went up. "Really? What about the texts we sent each other?"

"Pretty much auto-delete. I mean, he could have gone to the phone company to request copies, but he only did shit like that when he was suspicious. I'd learned from Toria's mistakes before you and I started seeing each other. There was no way I wanted him suspicious of you." He picked up the envelope. "There's no date. It wasn't sent through the post office. She dropped this off, which means that she wanted me to see it today. This number is probably to a cheap pay-as-you-go phone and she'll get rid of it as soon as I tell her yes or no. She probably had a friend buy it for her. I'm telling you, she and I had to get creative to sneak around. We learned. Dad may not be the smartest guy in the world but Mom is the brains."

"Then it must have been a spectacular trick getting pregnant. Sex with a guy? Wouldn't your parents be severely protective of their only _daughter_?"

He nodded. "Yeah, especially since I took off. Although," he said thoughtfully, "her siding with them about me might have earned her points. They'd consider it a sign that she wasn't gay or particularly rebellious."

He breathed deeply and took his phone out. After putting in the number, he decided to send a text instead. It was a good idea, especially since he didn't know if she was around their parents. It wasn't a long text, just one word: yes. He'd leave it up to her where to meet. She was the one who had to sneak around. Cole no longer cared about randomly meeting his parents.

After the text went through, he put his phone on the counter and stared at it. He was trying so hard to let go of them and live his own life, to forget what his family had done to him. Constantly, he said he didn't care about them, but I knew differently. It was painful to have people who are supposed to love you no matter what treat you like a disease just for refusing to pretend to be someone you're not. If Dox hadn't gone to check on him and consequently brought him to the pack after finding out he'd been beaten, there was no doubt that Cole might have died eventually from the abuse. And neither his parents nor his sister seemed to have cared that he had broken bones that were going to go untreated since they wouldn't let him leave the house because of the beatings.

Cole struggled to come to terms with the idea that he was his own person, starting his own family with me. I loved him something fierce and the pack would protect him. Hell, everybody loved him. He was a good guy and helped us wherever he could. Since he didn't have our physical strength, he provided moral and emotional support to those struggling with who they were. He'd helped so many kids accept what made them different because he could relate. And not just kids. Adults of the packs also came to him even though he was a human barely in his twenties. He taught the same thing he felt. Accepting yourself as you are was the first step to forcing the world to acknowledge that you are a person. Standing up for what you believe in forced society to tolerate you because they realize you aren't going anywhere or backing down from what you believe. And sometimes, one voice could become two; two could become three and so on. Eventually, those voices could a make change. It all starts with self-acceptance. Cole firmly believed in that, and he was proud to be called gay. He wasn't a feminine man like the word suggested. He was tall and muscular, played sports, and had an appreciation for cars. He just preferred to have a male in his bed at the end of the day. And I was proud to be that male, to call him mine.

But I also believed that he needed one last showdown with his parents. He needed for them to see the amazing person he'd become and the giant family that had adopted him. My dad considered Cole his son now. Anytime I would talk to him, he'd ask how his other kid was, and I knew he was talking about Cole. Likewise, Cole saw my dad as a fatherly figure, even called him "dad" sometimes. And Mom took care of him, too. Cole needed his parents to see that he knew his worth, to see that he was loved by so many people. He needed to know that they hadn't broken him. He was making a life for himself, a life where people looked up to him and saw him as a man.

Not to mention, he was still an older brother. Victoria said she needed to see him, so he would go. She wouldn't have asked if it wasn't important because she didn't support him being gay and had practically disowned him right along with their parents. If she'd had someone else to turn to, she would have. But that brotherly protection was still there, so he was going to see what she needed. And it might lead the way toward a faceoff with his parents that he needed.

Gently, I took his hand. "You're exactly who and where you're supposed to be. Don't let this shake that confidence you've worked so hard for. Come take a shower with me. Then I'll give you a massage. You worked hard today with the team. You need to relax."

He brought my hand to his lips before pressing his cheek against the back of it. "I love you. You always know what's bothering me."

"Just like I can't hide from you, you can't hide from me. A part of you will always care, and sometimes, something will trigger it even if you don't want it to. That's where I'll come in to remind you that you're not the devil they think you are. You're my man, and I need you. The packs need you. All those people who are lost need you. You're not worthless, not the devil. You're a good man who deserves the best. And that's exactly what I intend to give you." I gently pulled on his hand. "Now come on. I wanna be clean before loving on you."

That earned me a smile and his feet following me toward our bedroom and the bathroom connected to it.

"You really are the best," he said as he kicked off his shoes.

I shrugged and slipped out of my shirt. "You're my imprint. I do believe that means I was created for you."

"Mmm," he murmured, walking over to me wearing just his unbuttoned jeans. "I like the sound of that." He reached behind me to turn the water on in the shower to get it to heat up before we got in.

Then, when he cupped my face, I wrapped my arms around his tight waist while we kissed.

We made out until steam wrapped around us.

* * *

 ***sigh* I really love our boys. And Ryell. I mean, really? And how cute was Cordy? Anywho, you know the drill. Review and vote! Go, go, go! Love y'all! xoxoxoxoxo**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hey, guys! No, I am not dead. And no, I do not have three chapters for you. Lol Nice try, though. HOWEVER, Alpha's Daughter is nominated to be in the Top 10 Completed Fics for June! The site is www . twifanfictionrecs . com (If you can't see the website here, PM me and I'll see if it'll work through there. Apparently voting is open until July 31. When you get to the website, if you scroll down a little there's a panel with a picture that says vote for top ten. Click it and go vote lol. I'm so excited for yet another nomination. You guys are so amazing!**

 **And now, here is your update! Don't kill me! I've got people who want me to live.**

 **Please Enjoy!**

* * *

 **JulesPOV**

Blowing a curl out of my face, I squinted at two pictures that were nearly identical.

"Are you going to do this all night or am I going to get some time with you?" Bray asked playfully from the bathroom.

With the angle I was sitting at on our new bed, I could see him give me a look in the mirror from the master bathroom. He was scrubbing the oil and grease from his hands all the way up to his elbows. He'd just gotten off a shift at the shop with Dad.

Sighing, I slumped down and put the pictures back on the bed. "Sorry. You're right."

Finally done scrubbing, he flicked his hands into the sink before grabbing a towel and coming out of the bathroom. "Nothing to be sorry for, baby. I know you want to get everything mapped out so we can get married. Believe me, I want us married, too."

"Yeah, I know," I said cuddling against him when he sat down on the edge of the bed next to me. "But I should be able to put this away. I'm just so close. Ash and Cole really helped out today."

"Oh, yeah?" he asked as he kissed my forehead. "How so?"

"Ash suggested we use the bridge by Grama and Grampa's cottage and that we could use the cottage to get ready. And Cole offered up photographer advice. I've already talked to Grama and Aunt Rosalie. Grama said she'd love it if we used the cottage, and my aunt is working on collecting disposable cameras." Sighing, I looked at all the papers spread out on the bed. "Honestly, we're so close. Basically it's the finer details now of decorations and getting everyone fitted."

Bray reached up to brush my bangs back, which didn't actually do anything since they swung right back into place. "I'm sure it's going to be perfect. But remember, we're not that bridezilla couple, alright? I don't care if everything is precisely perfect. I just want to be married to you."

Taking a deep, happy breath, I leaned onto his shoulder, cuddling up against his arm. "You're the best."

Warmth radiated over my back as his hand rubbed over it. "Yeah, I'm aware," he said before kissing my temple. Then he suddenly stood up, toppling me over.

"Oof." I managed to get my hands under me before face-planting.

Bray grinned while I glared up at him playfully.

"Jerk. What was that for?"

He took my hands and pulled me off the bed. "Let's go paint."

My eyes went wide. "What? It's eight o'clock at night."

Giving me a look, he pulled me down the hallway of Hunter's old house. "So? It'll get you away from all that stuff for a while. We don't want your head exploding."

The house was two bedrooms and two baths. There was a bedroom on either end of the hall. In the middle, there was a doorway that opened up into the living room. To the left was the kitchen. The fireplace was on the right. Straight ahead was the front door.

Bray and I had decided to move in only a couple months ago. We'd agreed on us fixing it up together and decorating it the way we wanted, so most of our stuff was still packed up. Our new furniture – a gift from our parents – was covered with plastic drop cloths. We'd already finished the kitchen in a harvest gold and rust red. Bray had picked dark greens and browns for the living room, which was fine with me. We weren't yet done but so far it was warm and cozy. Our room was done in a sapphire blue, which was pretty dark, but with accent lighting, it was perfect. The extra room we'd decided on a neutral grey and accented using things the same color as the harvest gold paint in the kitchen. The guest bathroom in the hall was also the grey and yellow combo. My and Bray's bathroom was done up in beach colors like cool purples and pleasant peaches, fiery yellows. The house was a bit mismatched, but we both loved it. We didn't want to unpack until everything was painted. The living room was all we had left. Just one more coat of the green, clean up the trim, and then we could officially start to move in. I was glad we were getting it done before the wedding because as soon as the party was over, we were getting shipped off to the Bahamas for a couple weeks. Our parents had decided we needed a normal honeymoon, which meant a giant resort/water park. I was so stoked it wasn't even funny. Everything was paid for, being charged directly to Grampa Edward's account. I knew Mom and Aunt Shelby had set everything up so I was worried about the cost of everything, but when I'd mentioned it, they'd both glared at me. Hard.

"My little girl is going to have the best, most worry-free honeymoon," Mom had said. "Don't you worry about a thing. Just enjoy it all."

I'd sighed and gone home to research the place. Paling as the prices had gone up, I'd slammed my laptop shut.

But I kept reminding myself that my family was stupidly loaded, and I was considering this a gift from _everyone_. Because make no mistake, my family would want nothing but the best for us. But Mom and Aunt Shelby had asked us what kind of settings we preferred. With that, I was pretty sure I knew what all they'd booked, so it wasn't the priciest stuff. Thank goodness.

Now, tonight, Bray and I, while still getting the walls painted, chased each other with brushes and rollers. I had green paint all down one leg from my thigh to my heel. Bray had a smear from my fingers on his cheek and jaw. There were several other marks on us before the painting was through, and we had to take a shower together just to scrape it all off where we couldn't reach ourselves.

It was one in the morning before we stepped out of the shower.

Standing naked in front of the mirror, I used my towel to squeeze the water out of my hair while Bray wrapped a towel around his waist. Water still beaded on the skin of his chest and neck, sliding down from his hair. I watched him behind me from the mirror, letting my eyes travel his body. There wasn't an ounce of fat on his muscular frame despite the amount of food he put away on a daily basis. He spent his days either in the shop, running patrols, or running around with me, making love to me in our bed. The skin over all that muscle was taut, russet, and utterly lickable. Bray moved like the graceful predator he was, all that muscle shifting and sliding into place under that pretty skin. Compared to me, he was all dark, forest-y tones.

I was all jewel tones with my sun-kissed skin, copper and black hair, and my aqua eyes. Where Bray looked like he belonged in forest, I looked like I should come from warm ocean waters on a tropical coast somewhere.

When I looked back up into the mirror, I saw Bray watching me, his emerald eyes darkening as they took in my reflection.

Slowly, he walked up behind me and wrapped his arms around me. One arm went low, covering the juncture of my thighs while the other went over my breasts, his hands gripping my hip and shoulder. His arms were my clothing. I could feel his body, warm and comforting, against the back of mine, cradling me. He was hard pressed between my ass and his own hips, but the towel was trapped between our bodies so it was just a feeling, no action.

Keeping our gazes connected in the mirror, Bray lowered his head until his lips touched my neck. Eyes closing, he let out a contented sigh. "You're beautiful," he whispered.

I turned to rest my forehead against his. "Thank you."

I wasn't aware of how close we were until his eyes opened again and I could see myself reflected there. Reaching up, I ran the tips of my fingers over his lips before leaning in to kiss them. Bray leaned into the kiss and I turned in his arms, our skin sliding easily together the way clean skin can. My hands slid over the muscles in his arms, slipping into the dips and molding to the curves, until I got to his neck and could bury my fingers in his hair. Eagerly, my body pressed against his without needing a command from my brain to consciously do so. The towel was still there, the terry cloth rubbing against my hips and thighs.

Bray wrapped me up in his arms tightly, and it was times like this that I was reminded how small I actually was compared to him. He'd, impossibly, grown just a couple more inches, and those inches made me feel short. But it wasn't just height. My frame was slender and lithe compared to his bulk. He could wrap both hands on my waist and nearly touch his fingers together, but I also had an hourglass figure. My hips flared out and my breasts had filled out just a bit more. But for the most part, I was small against him, especially when he held me the way he was now, encompassing me in his warmth and the raw masculine power he exuded. It wasn't just being a dominant werewolf; it was the kind of man he was. I was his woman, and even though I was Alpha over him in the pack, I was still soft and feminine in everyday social situations. He liked that, the feeling of being the man, being able to speak for both of us because he knew me so well. He just wanted to take care of me, to flash his colors to let other men know that he could be dangerous if any of them came near me in a manner other than friendship. But when I was needed as leader of our pack, he was willing to step back to let me do what I needed to do. That part of our relationship had started out rough, but we were finally riding smooth.

It didn't take long until the towel had disappeared and Bray had walked us to our bed. Neither of us cared that we'd just taken a shower. Stupid excuses like that were what made the passion go out of a relationship. Bray and I swore that we would never let that happen. After all, both of us could live for a very long time and we wanted to stay together. Divorce was not going to be an option, or living separately. He was mine, and I was his.

That's how it was going to stay.

 **ColePOV**

The next morning, I woke to Ash flung all over me. He was on his stomach, one arm hanging over my chest and a thigh between mine. His head was on my shoulder. Mouth open, he was snoring slightly. His black hair was stuck up in every direction from both sleep and my fingers from last night. Against my outer thigh, his morning erection was hard and pulsing. Since we'd started living and sleeping in our own private space, he'd started to move more during sleep. Most mornings, I'd wake up with him half on top of me just like today. Of course, I was splayed out under him, half curled around his body.

Chuckling, I kissed the space between his eyes and wriggled out from under him. Frowning, he grumbled and grabbed my pillow, pressing his face into it.

Shaking my head affectionately, I went to hop in the shower. I was meeting Victoria for breakfast down on the rez. Apparently our parents were heading into Port Angeles for a bit which was why she'd wanted to meet up with me as soon as possible.

Out in the room, putting on my clothes as quietly as I could, I still had issues coming to terms with the fact that she was pregnant. That was exactly what she wanted to talk about but I didn't know why.

In the bathroom again, I was about to fire up the toothbrush when a voice behind me said, "Why are you nervous?"

Jumping because I hadn't heard Ash moving around, I squirted out more toothpaste than I really needed.

"Jesus," I said under my breath. "You scared the shit out of me."

He chuckled while I washed the useless paste down the drain. "Sorry."

"No worries," I assured him with a smile in the mirror.

His reflection smiled back as he crossed his arms and leaned in the doorway. "But seriously, why are you nervous?"

Taking a deep breath, I shoved the toothbrush in my mouth and scrubbed while I thought about the answer. Close to two minutes and a rinse later, I wiped my mouth with a towel and turned to face him. "How'd you know?"

He gave me a look. "Really? Do you honestly think I don't know you well enough after four years? Come on, Cole. Not to mention, I can smell it."

"Oh. Right. Sorry." Sighing, I leaned back against the counter and rubbed the back of my neck. "I don't know. I guess I'm worried it might be a trap to get me to face my parents, which actually needs to happen. Or that it's going to be a huge joke where she tells me she's pregnant and laughs in my face saying I can't be near my own nephew. Which, granted, would be within her rights since I practically disowned all of them. But it'll still hurt."

Ash gave me a considering look. "You really think she'd do that?"

I couldn't answer that with a definitive but I knew I didn't have that feeling. Slowly, I shook my head, eyes on my shoes. "No. Something's telling me that she's scared. I always looked after her. She always came to me when she needed something or when she was scared."

"You were her big brother."

I nodded. "Yeah. I guess my fraternal feelings aren't going to go away any time soon."

"Of course not." Ash pushed away from the door to come stand in front of me. He was in his boxers, the blue ones with paw prints on them that I'd gotten him, and no shirt. He took my hands in his, unfolding my arms from my chest. "Some part of her knows and remembers that you're her brother, Cole. She can't hate you that much if she's asking to talk to you, to see you."

Taking a deep breath, I nodded and blew it out. "Yeah, you're right."

"I can go with you if you want."

Shaking my head, I looked up at the clock. "I think I need to see her alone. She might freak out we go together."

He nodded. "Alright, but call me if you need to. I'll keep my phone close."

"You're the best," I said before I gave him a quick kiss and started to walk out.

But he grabbed my hands again to pull me back, giving me a serious gaze. "Just be you, Cole. Okay? Be the man you've become. Don't let her tear you down." Then he pulled me against him so that he could give me a solid, deep kiss. When he pulled back, his breathing wasn't as harsh as mine. He was controlling himself, being dominant, commanding. "Now go or you'll be late."

Even though I was older, he was the alpha werewolf. And damn it was sexy.

Still having a little trouble breathing, I swallowed hard and nodded.

After a wobbly walk to the car and a twenty minute drive, I finally made it to the café where Victoria had told me to meet her. It was busy with men and women in business suits grabbing a cup of coffee on their way to work, but I still saw my sister at a table in the corner where there weren't any windows. As I made my way over to her, I could see how nervous she was, her eyes flitting around the room, trying to see if anyone noticed her or me. I was surprised to find two cups on the table. Hers was filled with either apple cider or tea. The other cup sat in front of the seat across from her. It was filled to the brim with steaming coffee the color of caramel. She still remembered how I liked my coffee.

I sat down across from her. "For me?" I asked motioning to the cup.

She nodded but didn't say anything.

"Thanks," I said. The first sip hit my soul and sang through my body. It was perfect.

She nodded again but didn't meet my eyes. Instead, she nervously sipped her own drink. I took the moment to study my sister, a girl I hadn't seen in close to three years.

Her dark blonde hair was shorter than I remembered, cut just above her shoulders. She'd gained some weight but I suspected that was from the pregnancy. And with that thought, my eyes went to her clothes. The light blue shirt was loose and flowy, hiding her torso. But I thought I could still see the edge of the baby bump. She had to be at least three months along maybe more.

The longer I watched her, the less nervous she was. The fear was peeking through as her lip and hands trembled.

Reaching out, I took her cup from her before she spilled all over herself and set it down the table. I held her trembling hand in mine. "Toria, you know you can talk to me about anything. Anything at all. I won't judge."

Her eyes were shiny when they finally met mine. "Even after-?"

"Even after."

"So you got my letter."

I nodded. "And what came with it."

She took a deep breath and put her free hand on her belly. When the shirt molded to her, I realized she was further along than I thought. Not that I knew much about women's bodies when they were pregnant, but it seemed like she was more than just three months along.

"I can't keep him," she said abruptly.

I blinked. "What?"

She pulled her hand out of mine and straightened her posture. It was a façade, I could tell. But it still surprised me. "The baby, I can't keep him. I don't want him."

My gaze narrowed. "Okay? So why tell me? Why not get in touch with an adoption agency? Unless that's what you want my help with. I'm sure Ash could find something."

Toria cleared her throat and pushed her hair out of her eyes. "No," she said with superiority. "I want _you_ to take him."

"Excuse me?" I spluttered, eyes bugging out of my head.

Her nondescript brown eyes met mine. "I won't send him off the reservation."

"Why not?" I demanded incredulously. I honestly couldn't believe she was asking me to raise her kid.

Exasperated, she crossed her arms and leaned back in her chair. "First of all, the rez doesn't have a huge population. I doubt Jacob Black would want one of his tribe shipped out. And second, his fa-," Cutting off, she looked away and blinked fast, her mouth pressing into a hard line.

Before I spoke next, I thought about her reasons and came to a conclusion. "It's not that you won't; it's that you can't," I said confidently. "The baby has pack blood, doesn't he? His father is a member of the pack."

Her stern demeanor faded, the worry seeping through again, as she turned back to me. "Even if I could set him up for adoption away from here, what if he phases? The world would end up finding out about us. He could be hurt or shunned. Despite how I acted toward you years ago, I never agreed with Dad that the pack was bad for this place. It's our history, our ancestry. It's who we are. Look, I may not want to keep him, but that doesn't mean I don't care. I need to know he's taken care of, Cole. You're his blood. You'd never let anything happen to him and he'd never know you weren't his dad. You could say he's yours from a previous relationship."

Mind racing, I shook my head hard and fast as I leaned. "Are you hearing yourself, Victoria? You want _me_ , your gay brother that you find disgusting, to raise your child as my son. Furthermore, you want me to raise him on a lie. I'd have to tell so many lies that I'd have to write them down. Either lie about his age or tell him I cheated on Ash, or come up with a whole different lie on how long I've been with Ash. And I won't do that to the man I love. Besides, I'm _really_ gay, Toria. Nobody would ever believe I slept with a woman. I could barely even touch the girls I dated for Dad's benefit when I was in school. Why not just find a family here?"

While she looked at me, her eyes shimmered. "Because I want to know he's being taken care of by family, by his own blood. I couldn't live with myself knowing the people he was with weren't his own blood. He'll look different; he'll know he's not fully Quileute."

"What about the father?"

Now she rolled her eyes in irritation, but it wasn't at me. "That bastard can rot," she said bitterly. "Right after I told him I was pregnant, he took off."

"What?" I demanded, anger rising up.

"He told Jacob he didn't want to be pack, that he wouldn't phase anymore, and wanted to leave. Jacob let him."

I crossed my arms. "Believe it or not, I'm close to Jacob. He never mentioned this," I said, motioning to her with a hand before crossing my arms again.

She sighed. "Yeah because I doubt Preston said anything about the baby. He just wanted to get gone."

" _Preston_?" I nearly shouted. When she shushed me, I leaned in and hissed, "Preston? You slept with _Preston_?!" I'd hated him in high school. He'd been my competition and had done everything he could to get me to fail at my classes and football.

Toria glared at me. "He told me I was his imprint," she hissed back.

"And you weren't," I said scathingly.

"Obviously. Dumbass," she murmured. I wasn't sure if she was referring to me or Preston. Probably both. Then she looked back at me with desperation. "Please, Cole. Just consider it. You can tell him I was a surrogate for you and Ash so you could have a baby."

"Why couldn't I just tell him that you're his mother? I mean you are. I could tell him that you're his mother but couldn't handle a child so I raised him. What would it matter if I did tell him that? You wouldn't be a part of his life."

My sister watched me for a moment before looking down at her fingers rubbing the edge of the mug. "What if I wanted to be?" she asked softly.

I blinked, shocked into silence for a moment. "What?"

"What if I wanted to be in his life?" she repeated.

Stunned, I sat back and stared at her. "Wouldn't that be hard for you? You made this baby, gave birth to him, and just handed him over. What about maternal instinct? Could you really just sit back and watch me parent your child?"

Her gaze was downcast. "He'd be yours. Your son. And Ash's. We could tell him that you and Ash wanted a biological child, so I agreed to get fertilized by Ash. Invitro. I am your sister. It would explain his looks if he turned out blond or at least a little less Native-like. I mean, of course, if Ash could be okay with knowing he actually isn't biologically related to the boy."

Giving her a stern look, I crossed my arms again. "I'll ask again, Victoria. You'd be okay with two men raising him?"

"Yes," she said softly.

"Why?" I countered immediately. "And why care about what Ash would think? You think our relationship is wrong and disgusting. I do believe I remember you calling me a fag quite a few times."

She gave me a sad look and held her hand out to me, palm up. "Things change," she whispered. "I've missed you. So much. And I'm so scared. Mom and Dad loathe me but I couldn't get an abortion. I refused. Mom agreed, of course. But the way they look at me…Cole, I'm terrified. I can't keep this baby. He's illegitimate. They wouldn't treat him right. And I am so sorry for how I treated you. Right now, I wish I had somebody that cared enough to save me. I wish I had somebody who loved me the way Ash loves you, the way you love him." Half crying, she rubbed her belly with her other hand and laughed. "It's all in perspective for me now, and I can't understand how Mom and Dad could treat you the way they did, how I could have treated you like that."

Getting up, I moved my chair around the table and took her hand. "Hey," I said, putting a napkin to her tears. "It's alright, Toria. Don't be scared. I won't let anything happen to you. You're still my little sister. I still love you."

She gave me a watery smile.

A great wave of anger at our parents swelled up inside me and I said, without thought, "Come home with me."

She looked up in surprise from wiping her face. "What?"

"Come stay with me and Ash. Get away from Mom and Dad."

"I can't," she said, shaking her head. "I can't face them."

"You won't have to. I'll deal with our parents."

She shook her head hastily. "Not them. I mean the pack. Ash. Dox. I can't face them, not after what I did. How I treated you."

I cupped her cheek. "For now, just Ash. He and I live together. We'll go get some of your stuff, just the things you really want. We can get whatever else you need later. And I'll take you home. I have a spare bedroom. Two actually. And where our house is, Mom and Dad can't get to you. We'd have to go today though."

Her eyes widened.

Scooting in, I lowered my voice. "Toria, you have to know that there are people in here who talk to Dad. They've seen us. They'll tell him you talked to me. Or he'll find out. Please. Come home with me."

She studied me for a moment, the fear and uncertainty plain in her eyes. "You'll take the baby?"

I shook my head. "I have to talk to Ash. He's my partner. But if not, we'll figure something out. I promise that the baby will be taken care of."

Her hand tightened on mine. "I'm scared," she whispered.

"I know. But I'm here. Let me help you."

Her wary brown eyes studied me for a few heartbeats. Then her eyes went around the small café taking in all the potential tattlers. When her gaze came back to me, she swallowed hard. "Are you sure it's okay?"

"Yes, I'm sure. Come with me."

She thought just a moment longer before nodding. "Okay."

 **#######**

It only took about ten minutes to pack a couple bags of her stuff that she wanted, things that couldn't really be replaced for the sentimental value. We were in and out without a problem, and it wasn't long before I was turning onto the turnoff to the compound. The deeper into the compound we went, passing groups of wolves and humans, I noticed that Victoria became more and more nervous. Her small hands clutched at the seat under her or flexed on her thighs as she looked around.

I reached over to hold her hand, stilling it. "It's okay, Toria."

She blew out a harsh breath. "I can't believe I let myself get into this mess."

I squeezed her fingers. "You made a mistake, but you're doing what you can. I mean, you lost Trent. You loved him; he loved you. Even I could see you two belonged together."

At the mention of him, she sniffed and looked out the window. "The witches killed him because he fought them. If he would have just-,"

"It wasn't in his nature not to fight," I said, cutting her off. "I'm sure he was protecting the others. As well as trying to get back to you. I'm sorry, Toria."

She scrubbed at her eyes with her free hand. "Ugh. And now I'm pregnant with some douchebag's baby."

I laughed. "It's not the baby's fault. And it's not yours. But we'll figure something out." I pulled the car into the drive, put it in park, and turned it off. Turning toward her, I lifted her fingers to kiss them. "Do you trust me?"

Her hand gripped mine and she nodded a little. "Yeah."

"We're gonna go in there and face Ash. But I need to ask again, are you sure that you're okay with me and Ash? I mean, our relationship? I just keep flashing back-."

She shook her head and gripped my hand. "No, I'm good. It's a different tune, I know. But these past three years have been hard. You were always there, and then suddenly you weren't. I guess I just figured out that I don't really care who you love as long as they love you back. I really am sorry that I was so horrid, that I let Dad just beat you like that. I couldn't watch him do it, but I should have done something, called someone."

"It's okay-,"

This time the head shake was frantic. "No, it's really not okay, Cole. I have so much to atone for."

"No, you don't. I know that neither of us are particularly religious, so you're talking about my forgiveness. The only thing is, I never blamed you for anything to begin with. You don't need to earn my forgiveness because you didn't do anything that needs forgiving, not in my eyes."

Closing her eyes, she sighed as if relieved. "I've missed you so much."

"And I've missed you. Now, why don't we go get this over with? Ash won't be too harsh. He knows about the baby. Hell, he knew before I did because he opened the letter."

"He did?"

I nodded. "Yeah. I couldn't do it. He said one of us should know what it said. I'm glad we did."

She smiled a little. "Me, too."

I squeezed her hand. "Are you ready?"

Taking a deep breath, she nodded.

 **AshPOV**

I was flipping through the movie channels when I heard the squeak of Cole's tires on the carport. But he didn't get out immediately, which was odd. Even though he could be taking a moment to collect himself from the visit. He tended to do that when he didn't want me to see his emotions.

But then I heard two doors close instead of just one. I was suspicious but then he could have just picked up someone.

When the side door opened, I asked, "So how did it…," then I looked over, my eyes going wide. "Go?"

Victoria was hiding behind the bulk of her brother, looking at me from around his arm. But her gaze lowered to the floor every couple seconds.

When Cole met my eyes stubbornly, I raised an eyebrow. "I have a feeling we need to talk."

Cole bent over to put Victoria's bag on the ground against the wall. "Yeah. We do."

Turning off the TV, I stood up and walked into the kitchen. Toria was still avoiding looking at me, shame clear in her expression. When she finally met my eyes again, I pulled out a chair at the table for her. "Please, sit down. You look tired."

Surprise widened her eyes. She looked up at Cole, who nodded. "Thank you," she said quietly as she came to sit down. I carefully pushed the chair under her.

Over her head, I gave Cole a look. The look he gave me back said this was even more complicated than I was thinking.

"Would you like something to drink?"

Toria started to shake her head. "No, that's-,"

"Tea," Cole said. "She'd like some tea."

Okay, then. I went to the counter and whipped up a cup of tea while everyone stayed quiet and awkward.

When I set the cup in front of her and sat down, I looked at them. "So, what's going on? I didn't expect-,"

"I'm sorry," Toria said softly.

I looked at Cole in surprise. He nodded, so I leaned in. "What was that?"

She wrapped her small, shaking hands around the mug. "I said I'm sorry, Ash. For every fucking thing I did or said against you or Cole. I don't care if you're gay and fucking each other's brains out. I just know that I was wrong, and I love my brother." She lifted her eyes to mine. "You've always helped him take care of me; you've never done anything to hurt me. And I betrayed you both. Like I told Cole, I should have done something when Dad beat him, when Mom cursed him."

She was about to talk herself into a tizzy, so I reached out to touch her shoulder. "It's alright, Toria. It's clear you're sorry. And since I know Cole has already forgiven you, I do, too. Don't stress."

After a moment, she took a soothing breath and smiled at me. "You're such a good person, Ash. I'm glad my brother has you and your family."

"Toria," Cole said in a serious tone. "Tell the rest. Tell him what you want us to do."

I frowned. "What's he talking about?"

Shaking her head a little, she just licked her lips.

Sighing, Cole leaned forward, his hands gripped together. "She's asking us to raise the baby, as our son."

My eyebrows shot into my hairline. "Wait, you and me?"

He nodded. "To keep the lies at a minimum, the only explanation we could think of would be that you and I wanted a biological child so she offered to be a surrogate for us."

"Okay? And what about a father?"

My mate stared hard at me. "That's the tricky part. Either we could say a random donor or the lie."

"What lie?"

"The one where we say you were the donor since we'd want a biological child."

My head was spinning. "Why can't we just say adoption?"

Cole looked at his sister, who was still staring at the table. "She wants to be a part of his life. She doesn't want him to know that she didn't want him. And adoption would be a no go either way. She doesn't want him with anyone other than his own blood. And he can't be sent off the rez. His father was pack."

"What?" I demanded sharply. "Then why isn't he involved in this?"

Cole gave me a very direct, angry look. "Because he's gone. It's Preston."

Now I was angry, my blood almost boiling. "Fucking Preston," I cursed.

"He told me I was his imprint," Toria said, finally talking. "When I told him I was pregnant, he wouldn't talk to me and went to your dad the next day."

I sat back heavily in the chair. "Yeah, I remember when he came to my dad. He was pissed about something when he asked to take off and swore never to phase again. Never mentioned the baby, which is probably the reason for the no phasing. He didn't want to be ordered back when we found out."

"You think he'll keep to that?" Cole asked.

I scrubbed my jaw. "It's possible. Our telepathy doesn't have limits. Dad once ran all the way to northern Canada and could still talk to the pack. Phasing is second nature to us so he could slip up, but I've been wrong before." I looked at her. "You really want us to do this?"

When she looked up at me, there was a fierce light in her eyes. "I will not let my parents have him, and Cole is the only other blood I have. I can't have a baby, Ash. I fucked up and made a mistake, but I refuse to let this baby pay for it."

Quickly, I took her hands. "Okay, okay. Cole and I really need to talk about this. How far along are you?"

"Five months."

"What doctor are you seeing?"

When she gave me the name, I wrote it down.

"Okay. I'll have Grampa Carlisle call the office. Do you want to leave that doctor or stay?"

"I don't know. I think I'd feel better if I was with a doctor who works closer with pack pregnancies."

I nodded. "Well, with our pack, pregnancies are pretty normal. But I'll talk to my grandfather. He might have noticed differences now that the pack is active."

"What about medical bills?"

"I'll take care of them," Cole said. He looked at me. "We need to tell that office to send the bills here. And we'll figure out something about insurance."

I nodded.

"Wait," Toria said. "I can't ask you to pay all those bills."

He turned to her and cupped her cheek. "I've still got a lot of money saved up. It'll take care of them."

"But-,"

"Stop," Cole ordered. "Just stop. You're gonna stay here and go see Carlisle tomorrow. I want to know for myself that you're okay. You're gonna let us deal with Mom and Dad. I want you to stay off the rez."

She stared at him like she had no idea who he was. Over the past couple years, he'd gotten more and more demanding and dominant. "What about my job? And my friends?"

"You can still talk to them, Toria. I'm not gonna take away your phone. If you want to keep working, okay." He turned to me. "I'd like for one of the pack to stay with her."

I nodded. "I agree. If you're going to be on the rez, I'll ask Walker and Jason if there's an enforcer to spare. When's the next time you work?"

"Next week. I'm a receptionist. The owners are on vacation so they shut it down until they come back."

"Okay, that'll give me enough time to talk to them and for you to see Carlisle."

Sighing, she looked from one to the other of us with affection. "No use arguing, is there?"

Both Cole and I shook our heads.

She held her hands out, one to each of us. We took them. "Thank you."

Cole lifted her hand up to kiss it. "You're my baby sister. I love you."

"And I love Cole," I said. "You seem genuinely apologetic for what happened. We'll move on from here. Now, why don't you go get settled into one of the rooms and rest? I'll start on lunch."

Smiling, she gripped my fingers and kissed my cheek. "You really are the best, Ash." After giving her brother the same kiss on the cheek, she picked up her bag and walked back to a room, wandering around until she found one of the guest rooms.

Once I heard the door click shut, I looked at Cole. "What happened?"

He sat down heavily and put his head in his hands. "I told you. She said she didn't want the baby, that she wanted us to take him."

I went to sit down next to him. "Why not have another family take him?"

"That's what I said," he said, his words muffled. "She refuses. She wants him to stay with family because she still wants him taken care of."

Reaching out, I took one of his hands away from his face so I could hold it. "Are you okay with that? It's a lot of pressure on both of us."

"I want to help her, Ash. She's my baby sister. I just think that once she stays away from Mom and Dad, and she realizes she has support, she'll want to keep him. None of us need to make a solid plan yet until closer to the birth, or even after. Even if we decide we'll be willing, we can't all get our hopes up. Things – feelings – change."

I kissed the back of his hand. "I know."

Looking over at me, he asked, "Would you be willing to do that? I mean, I agree that if she stays in the baby's life, I wouldn't want him to grow up knowing his own mom would rather be his aunt."

"You'd want to go along with the story."

"Only if you'd be okay with it. If not, we'll figure something else out." His brown eyes were so serious and somber that I wanted to say yes right then and there, give him everything.

But I couldn't. This wasn't something to decide on the fly.

Leaning in, I carefully kissed his lips. "Let me think about it for a couple days. Until then, we need to tell Mom and Dad plus Walker that she's here and staying. They need to know to expect retaliation from your parents."

He nodded and leaned in for another kiss. "Thank you."

I ran my hand through his hair and smiled. "Anything for you, Cole. When are you going to accept that 'anything' literally means _anything_? All you have to do is ask." Standing up, I kissed the top of his head. "I'm going to make some food. Then we can go talk to Walker. You might wanna call Dad. He's at the shop right now."

Cole nodded and took his phone out. "Good idea."

With heavy internal sigh, I went about making lunch.

* * *

 **Hmmm so much happening. How cute would it be for those two to be dads? And what do we think of Victoria? Let me know, lovelies! I love you guys! xoxoxoxo**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hey guys! Yeah I know I've been away for a while. I'm sorry. I'm just sort of losing motivation. So many of you already don't like this story and I hate that so much. But since I can't find a way to rewrite it, I'm just going to go ahead with what I have.**

 **Also, I've left the poll open for what to do with Cole. I took out the choices of human and don't care because they didn't really help, so if any of you voted for either of those please go vote again for vampire or werewolf. This decision is entirely up to you, the readers. And right now, we're at a dead tie. So please go vote if you haven't already.**

 **Thanks so much for your patience. I'm just in a terrible funk right now. I love you guys!**

 **Please Enjoy!**

* * *

 **JacobPOV**

The shop was busy today, but there were enough guys working that I could get some of the paperwork done. That way, tomorrow on one of my usual days off, I could spend it with Ness.

Out front, I was clicking away on the computer when my cell phone rang.

I barely glanced at it before answering. "Hey, kid. What's up?"

Cole's tone was a bit nervous. "Hey, Jacob."

"Uh-oh. You used my name," I said, pulling away from the computer to lean back against the counter. "That's never a good sign." Usually, Cole was comfortable enough with me to call me "dad" or "pop". He was the only one allowed to get away with the "pop". It was our thing.

He gave a little chuckle. "Well, you see, something came up, and Ash thought it would be a good idea to warn you."

My brows went up. "Warn me? What about?"

"My parents coming in for a not-so-friendly visit."

Now I frowned. "And why would they do that? Maybe you should start from the beginning, son."

He took a deep breath and sighed it out. "Okay, well, you know my sister, right?"

"Vaguely remember her. She dated that kid that the witches pinned to the school, right?"

"Right. Well, yesterday I got a letter from her asking to meet with a number for a pay-as-you-go phone and an ultrasound. We exchanged meeting info, and then I assume she threw out the phone to keep my parents from guessing she was talking to me. Anyway, so they aren't happy she got pregnant right under their noses and out of wedlock. So I talked to her this morning. She's scared, pop." He took another deep breath. "But more than that, she doesn't want to keep him as her son. She wants me and Ash to raise him as ours and create a story that she was just a surrogate, fertilized by Ash. And if that isn't a kick in the pants, the warning is for the fact that they'll come looking for her because she's now staying with me and Ash."

A growl wanted to come out. "She's scared of them?"

"Definitely. And she doesn't think the kid would be safe since he's illegitimate. They'd treat him badly. So this is just a heads up. Everyone knows you own the shop. Dad will probably come looking for you since he doesn't know where I stay."

"Well, I can handle him," I said on that growl. "Is your sister okay?"

"Yeah, she's fine. Nervous but okay. We're gonna see about getting her records transferred up here to Carlisle. That way she doesn't have to go on the rez."

"Good idea. Does Walker know?"

Ash is talking to him now."

"Good. Thanks for the heads up. If she needs anything, call the women. I'm sure Ness would love to help."

"Sure…wait. You're okay with this?"

I chuckled a little. "I don't know about becoming a grampa again, but whatever you and Ash choose to do is your decision as a mature couple. Whatever happens is between the three of you. Ness and I will support you no matter what, Cole. As will the rest of the family. But what about the father of the baby?"

At this, Cole sighed and let out a human growl of his own. "You are so not going to like this answer."

"Tell me."

"One of your wolves. The guy that told you he'd never phase again. Preston."

I cursed under my breath and ran my hand down my face. "Damn. I never did like that kid. There was always something about him. But he'd kept to his word. He hasn't phased. Did he request to leave because of the baby?"

"Yeah, we think so. Toria said that she'd told him and the next thing she knew he was gone. He'd lied, telling her she was his imprint to get her to sleep with him."

The growl was a little louder this time. "Imprinting is nothing to lie about. It's our most sacred law. That little shit." I ran my hand over my face again. "Well, at least he's gone and if he tries to come back, I'll deny him. She won't have to worry about him."

"Thanks, pop. That's all I wanted to tell you. I'll let you get back to the shop."

"Alright, son. Thanks for the warning."

We hung up and I leaned on the counter. What was it with men and babies right now? First Walker's issues. Now this. But now, I was ready for the confrontation that was likely to happen when the bastard figured out his daughter was gone. And that would probably happen today. Mr. Harris was evidently a violent man who was not above abusing his own kids. And he'd be pissed to find that his daughter had run away.

So I gave the boys a heads up just in case he did come barging in. A couple hours later, we'd all gotten into a groove, but I was still wary every time I heard the bell above the lobby door when it opened.

It was just my luck that the one time in a few hours that I needed to go up front for some paperwork, the bell rang followed by his boots stomping.

"Where is she?" he demanded, slamming his palms on the counter in front of me.

Instead of giving him satisfaction, I pretended to keep reading the papers. "Where is who?" I asked, frowning as if something I'd seen bothered me.

I saw him point an accusing finger. "You know full well who I mean. Where is my daughter? I know you're involved with her being missing."

Keeping my head lowered, I looked up at him with a glare. "She's not missing if I know where she is, which, yes, I do. And so does Cole."

Daniel Harris was actually an imposing man. He was tall, broad, and stocky. Not heavily muscled. A lot of his bulk came from manual labor with construction. But he wasn't nearly as tall as me, nor as broad. His light brown hair and slightly darker beard was streaked with white and gray.

His face tightened. "Don't talk about him to me. He's not my son."

"No," I said, slamming the papers down. "He's mine now. And a damn good man. And just like Cole, Victoria is now no longer your concern. She came to us for help and protection because she knew her son wouldn't be safe around you or your wife. Which, knowing your temper, I'm inclined to agree with her."

"They're my children," he said through gritted teeth.

I raised my brows. "You just disowned Cole two seconds ago. And if you really cared about them, you wouldn't beat them. Nor would they be terrified of you. A little fear of one's parents is a good thing, but terrified for their lives is not. I would suggest you forget you have kids. You didn't deserve them."

He leaned in toward me. "Your son is the reason for my son being the way he is."

A growl flowed from between my teeth. "Don't you ever talk about my son," I demanded in a low voice. "He is none of your concern. But for the record, you can't just turn someone gay. It's just their preference, and I will support my child in anything he does whether I agree with it or not. I'm not saying I'm perfect, but _that's_ what a real father does. My wife, hell, my whole family, supports each other. Maybe you could learn a thing or two if you would just shut your trap for two seconds and understand that this world does not revolve around you. All you are is a bully, and I will not tolerate that behavior against my people. Yes, one of my wolves fucked up and got your daughter pregnant, but him leaving her to deal with it alone is punishment enough. I've dealt with him already, and he's off the rez. In the coming months, she's going to have to make some hard decisions, and you can bet your ass that we will take care of her the way she deserves."

Instead of my words impacting him the way I wished they would, he just glared at me, even angrier than before. "And you've brainwashed her, too. She sided with me and her mother about Cole."

I shook my head in disgust. "People change. She's going to a have a child of her own. Maybe that pushed her to realize that she didn't want to be the kind of parent that you are. It's very obvious that your version of unconditional love is very different from any other sane person's. She may not even keep him, but she wants what's best for that child, and _that's_ why she went to Cole. Her big brother. The one person that has always taken care of her."

He clenched his jaw. "I want. Her. Back."

I smirked. "Not going to happen. She's nineteen years old. Old enough to break away and go out on her own. Can't file missing persons if she willingly left, which she did."

He bared his teeth. "Are you just going adopt every wayward person who asks?"

"If I have to. I'm alpha of the pack, which means in our histories, I would have also been chief. And if we'd still lived back then, I could have had you killed for what you did to Cole. Child abuse is not taken lightly."

"He was eighteen. An adult."

"A kid who thought he didn't have anywhere to go. Victoria knew she could go to her brother for help, but where was Cole going to go? He and Ash hadn't come out to the family, and probably weren't going to any time soon. But thanks to you beating your own son within an inch of his life, they came out and have been happy ever since." Now I leaned over the counter. "How does that make you feel? Knowing you were instrumental in encouraging your son to be openly gay with mine? I bet it eats at you under your skin. And I hope it keeps you awake at night, asshole. Now, get out before I kick you out of more than just my place of business."

His expression flared in anger. "You can't-,"

"Brayden," I called.

Two seconds later, my future son-in-law walked through the swinging door, rubbing his dirty hands on a rag. "Yeah, Uncle Jake?"

I nodded toward Daniel. "Show this piece of trash out."

Bray looked at the man and then narrowed his gaze. "This Cole's dad? The one who kicked Jules?"

"One and the same."

Bray's smirk was all possessive male and predator. "With pleasure."

Going around the counter, Bray, who was the same height as Daniel, gripped the man's arm and forced him around.

"You can't just have your goons manhandle me."

"Actually, I can. And he would do it without me asking. You hit my daughter, his fiancée. He'd kick your ass if I let him, and I doubt he'd hold back the way my sons did."

Bray handled him roughly and finally shoved him out the door. "And don't come back," he said menacingly.

Shaking his head, he came back inside.

I was grinning at him. Nothing pleased me more than to know that he was the one taking care of my daughter.

"What?" he asked, tucking the towel into his back pocket.

I shook my head. "Nothing. Just glad I got you, kid."

He looked taken aback. "Really?"

Now I frowned. "Well, yeah. If I didn't like you, do you think I'd be this happy with you being with Jules? You're a good man, Bray. And I'm proud to call you my future son."

He grinned. "Thanks, Uncle Jake. You need anything else?"

"Nah, go on. I'll come get you when I leave."

He knocked my shoulder as he passed.

Shaking my head, I went back to the paperwork as if what had just happened was part of a normal day.

 **AshPOV**

I wiped my mouth with a napkin as Toria sat back with a groan.

"That was amazing, Ash. So good. I haven't eaten like that in a while."

"Really?" I asked.

She nodded. "Mom always portioned my food and made me watch what I ate. She didn't want me getting fat and giving away the pregnancy. She and Dad swore that once I got too big to hide it, they were going to lock me in the house until the baby was born."

While Cole looked horrified, I growled. "That's some bullshit, Toria. You should have come to us earlier."

She sighed. "I know. I just hope the baby is okay. The doctor said he was, but I've only been eating normal portions. Aren't pregnant women supposed to eat a little more?"

I shook my head. "Not sure, but we'll talk to Grampa Carlisle about that. He'll take good care of you. You won't go back onto the rez unless you have an escort. I texted Jason. He said he'd pick a couple enforcers so you can go to work."

She reached out to me and squeezed my hand. "Thank you, Ash. Really." She averted her gaze. "After what happened, you have every right to hate me, so I'm really grateful for everything you've already done for me today."

I held her hand in return. "I don't hate you. This is a hard situation for anyone. And you're pregnant. There's no need to hold things over your head when you're already dealing with so much. We'll take care of you. But as for your proposal, we still have to talk that over. We have time for that later, though. For now, you need to rest and chill. Don't worry about your parents; we'll take care of them. They can't touch you here, and they won't get near you on the rez. Not with Jason's enforcers. We'll have Dad talk to your employers about the enforcers."

Standing up, Cole took her plate. "If you want more, you can have it. There's plenty."

She smiled up at him. "Not right now. I'm stuffed. Thank you, though."

As Cole started to put up the food and clean up the kitchen, there was a knock on the front door before it opened.

"It's me!" Jules called out since we couldn't see the front door from the dining room.

"Come on in," I said back.

A moment later, she was walking in and shaking out her damp hair. "Stupid rain. Anyway, Bray called and told me that-,"

She froze when she finally looked up and saw Victoria sitting there. Toria had become sheepish and quiet, not looking at Jules.

My sister's eyebrows went up. "Well, I see why Mr. Harris was at the shop now. Hi, Victoria."

Toria gave her a short small smile.

"Mmm, smells good in here," Jules said. "I'm starving." She went to the counter and picked from the plates. "Mmm, so good. Anyway." Then she came over and sat down. She stared fixedly at Toria. "How are you, sweetie?"

Toria looked taken aback for a moment. "Um, I'm okay. Thanks. How are you?"

"Stressed," Jules answered honestly. "Planning my wedding to Bray. It's slowly sucking the soul out of me."

Leaning forward on my elbows, I glared at her. "Back up, Jules. Did you say their dad was at the shop?"

Taking my glass and drinking from it, she nodded. "Yup. Showed up a little bit ago demanding Dad give her back. He refused, of course," she said quickly seeing Toria's expression. "They tossed some words before Dad asked Bray to throw him out. All in all, it was civil. No bloodshed." When Cole put down a plate of food in front of her, she grinned up at him. "Thanks."

He gave her a wink before going back to cleaning up.

"How mad was he?" Toria asked.

Jules shrugged. "Furious. But apparently Dad told yours that he should get used to not having any kids and that he was a horrible father. And of course there was some crap about Cole and Ash that he tried, but Dad blew him off for it. And then Bray threw him out and told him not to come back."

Toria's eyes widened. "He _threw_ him out?"

Jules slurped up a noodle. "Apparently. Oh," she said looking at me, "by the way, Mom wants us over for dinner. All of us. Including you, Victoria."

"Oh, but-,"

"No buts," Jules said. "If you don't come on your own, Mom will come to get you herself. She wants to talk about this as a family. Cole is Ash's mate, which makes him a Black. You're his sister and went to him for help. Therefore, you came to us for help. So, we're all gonna talk about it."

Toria looked like she wanted to puke. "Will Dox be there?"

"Yeah and Ryell, his mate."

Toria paled and swallowed hard.

Cole came over and sat down, finally done cleaning up. "Toria, Dox will understand. Ash did."

She shook her head. "Ash only heard about what I'd done. Dox saw it. He saw how nasty I was. How can I face him?"

Cole reached out to take her hand but it was Jules who spoke. This time, she was incredibly serious. "Out of the four of us siblings, Dox is the moodiest, I'll give you that. But if you come to him as you are now, sincerely apologetic, he will understand. He may not forgive you automatically nor will he ever forget, but you came to us. You're remorseful. He'll see that. My brother is hard, but he's not steel. He just cares a lot about us, especially Ash. They're twins and are best friends. He's very protective. It might take some time, but he will forgive you. You're now trying to do what's best for you and your baby. Dox won't overlook that."

She took a deep breath and nodded. "Well, all I can do is try."

Jules grinned at her. "And that's exactly what my brother cares about."

 **DoxPOV**

"Mmm, it's so nice today."

I chuckled. "Only you could think a dank, overcast day is nice."

Rye grinned up at me from where her cheek rested on my shoulder. Man, I loved that grin. Sighing, she cuddled closer to me, her hand sliding up my stomach to rest between my pecs. Her thigh came up to rest over mine. We were laying in the bed of the truck on top of a couple of unrolled sleeping bags and a pillow or two. This was the pack truck I'd pretty much claimed as my own so I kept all this stuff in the cab just in case days like this happened.

"I don't think I could ever live somewhere that the sun shined a lot," she said. "I love the rain and the constant storms."

With one hand behind my head and the other wrapped around her shoulders, I hugged her tighter to me. "Well then we'll stay right here. It's home. I wouldn't move either."

The hand on my chest moved up to my chin so she could bring my mouth down to hers. "I love you."

God, I loved those words from her mouth. "I love you, too."

We kissed again, but this time when we parted, she slid her leg over my hips and pushed herself up until she was straddling me.

My eyebrows went up as she narrowed her gaze and bit her lip. Her fingernail started tapping my belt buckle. Right where I was starting to get hard.

"I've been thinking," she said.

"Oh?" I asked sliding my hand up and down her thigh. "That's always dangerous." It took everything I had to control my breathing. For months, we'd been getting closer and closer to getting naked together and all the forbidden touching. Well, it wasn't exactly forbidden, but I hated the teasing if we weren't going to follow through. Her tapping my belt was about as much teasing as I could handle.

Giving me a look, she playfully slapped my stomach. "Haha." She got serious again. "But seriously, I…I want to be with you, Dox."

Putting both hands behind my head, I sighed and tilted my head back to look at the sky. "Rye-,"

This time, she really slapped my chest. "No," she said forcefully. "Don't start off like that."

In surprise, I brought my head back down and stared at her with raised eyebrows. A little bit of "excuse me?" in the look. We'd been finding out more and more lately how dominant I really was, and usually I didn't like her to fight with me or give me orders. But since we were to lead together, I had to bite back retorts and my own orders when we were around the packs. But right now, it was just us.

But she didn't back down at the look she now knew well. Instead, she glared back. "If you don't want to have sex, just tell me."

Gripping her thigh again, I pulled myself up so we were face to face. She gasped, eyes going wide as our lips almost touched. "It's not that I don't want to," I said. "You know that. You can feel it. I just worry about you really being ready. You said you wanted to wait until we were ready to get mated or married."

Her breathing skipped and quickened. She swallowed hard. "Maybe I've changed my mind. And you're a virgin, too, so it's not just about me."

Taking a deep breath, I brushed her hair back and studied her. "It's all about you, Rye. With my kind of wolf, it's an impulse to be what you need when you need it. So I'm ready whenever you are. Don't worry about me."

Growling, she rolled her eyes. "Of _course_ I worry about you, dumbass. You're my male; I'll always worry about you just as you'll always worry about me. That's what a relationship is."

Gripping the back of her neck, I brought our mouths together. The kiss was soft at first, but as usual, it grew into more of a feeding. Our tongues and lips fought for dominance of the kiss, but my other hand went to her ass, pushing her further onto my hips.

She let out a little gasp when the center of her hit my erection. Her arms wrapped around my shoulders and she started rubbing her hips over mine.

With a growl, I wrapped an arm around her waist and flipped us. I tore away from her mouth and went for her jaw and neck. She tilted her head back to give me more access.

And just as I was heading down to move her shirt out of the way, my phone started ringing.

I growled. "Let it go to voicemail."

In a breathy voice, Rye said, "It's your brother's ringtone. Ash." I heard her swallow as I kept licking her skin. "He never calls unless it's important."

Finally she pushed me away a little.

I growled in frustration, but went to kneel between her legs so I could dig my phone out of my pocket.

"Be nice," she whispered before I answered.

Taking a deep breath, I slid the green button. "Hey, man. What's up?"

Rye grinned at me, her fingers playing over my belt buckle again. I gave her a raised eyebrow as Ash started talking.

"Hey, hope I didn't interrupt anything."

I wanted to snort, but I didn't. "Nothing I can't finish later. Whatchya need? You never call."

"Yeah, sorry. Has Mom or Dad talked to you yet?"

I frowned. "Not today. Why?"

He cleared his throat. "Mom wants us all for dinner. Jules already volunteered Ryell to come, too. But hey, something's come up. So before we all head over there tonight, would you mind swinging around to my place?"

"You need me right now?"

"The sooner the better."

To quit her teasing me, I took Rye's hand. "Okay, I'm with Rye right now. Cool if she comes with?"

My twin chuckled. "I would expect no less."

"Alright, cool. We'll see you in a few."

We hung up a moment later.

I leaned over to kiss her fingers. "Mom wants us at dinner tonight but Ash said something came up and asked if I could come over before dinner. You okay to go?"

She twined her fingers with mine. "Sure. Dad didn't have anything for me to do today."

Gripping her hands, I pulled her up and met her with a kiss. "Good. You'll need to call your mom, too, to tell her that you're eating with us tonight. When Mom says all of us for dinner, it's not a request."

Rye smiled against my mouth. "I'm sure she won't mind."

I pulled away and hopped out of the bed of the truck. "Come on."

Fifteen minutes later, we were packing up the cab of the truck and climbing in.

"So, did he say what came up?" she asked as I turned the truck around in the middle of the meadow and drove for the dirt road.

"Nope. He did ask if Mom or Dad had called me yet. I'm assuming the dinner and whatever this is has something to do with each other."

"Probably."

We weren't far from the compound so it didn't take long until I was pulling up to Ash and Cole's place.

Rye and I held hands as we walked in.

Ash met us at the door looking strained but trying to be upbeat. "Hey, guys."

I looked at him suspiciously. "What is it?"

Losing the fake happy, he took a deep breath and leaned in, lowering his voice. "I'm gonna ask you not to lose your cool, okay? Please? She's already been through enough. Just talk to her."

I frowned and shared a look with Rye. "Who? Jules?"

He shook his head. "No but she's here, too."

"Quit beating the bush to death, Ash. What's going on?"

"Oh just get in here," Jules said from the kitchen.

I shrugged and waved Ash ahead of us.

But the moment I walked into the kitchen, I understood why he'd said what he had. And I was instantly pissed.

Victoria sank down in her seat, avoiding my glare.

Rye looked between us. "What's going on?"

"Ryell," Jules said, "meet Cole's sister, Victoria."

Rye's eyes widened as she looked back and forth again. "Oh," she said. I'd told her the story of how I'd found Cole and how she'd treated him.

Victoria looked at Cole who nodded to her encouragingly. Swallowing hard, she stood up and came over to stand in front of me, eyes lowered. "Um, I'd um, I'd like to talk to you. Please. Alone."

Letting her squirm, I studied her. I realized what Ash had said about her having gone through enough. She was very obviously pregnant, but still looked too thin and very worried. The scent I'd come to associate with anxiousness was just wafting off of her.

Beside me, Rye squeezed my hand. When I looked at her, she gave me an irritated look and jerked her head toward Toria. The girl wasn't looking at us but at her tightly clasped hands.

Rolling my eyes in exasperation, I sighed quietly. Then, I said, "Okay. Let's talk." I couldn't deny Ryell anything.

Toria perked up.

"Come on." I motioned to the side door and followed her out onto the carport. There was a bench that faced out into the woods to watch the rain. Ash had a thing for rain.

Sitting down, she tucked her shirt around her and stared out. "Thank you."

"Don't. I'm not doing this for you. I'm doing it for Ash."

She nodded. "That's fair. More than fair. It's what I deserve." She turned to me. "I've already apologized to Cole for what I did, for how I treated him. I apologized to Ash."

"And what brought that on?" I asked coldly.

She put her hands on her stomach. "This baby. Maddox, I could never treat this baby the way Mom and Dad treated Cole, the way I did. Tonight, I know what we're going to be talking about. It's something I've asked Cole and Ash to do. For me."

Involuntarily, my eyes went to her belly again.

She nodded. "Yeah. I can't have this baby, Maddox. I'm not ready to be a mom, and the dad cut out on me. This morning, I met with Cole and asked for help. He brought me here to get away from our parents. But that doesn't mean I can keep the baby. However, he needs to stay close to the pack. His father is pack."

"Who?" I asked sharply.

She lowered her eyes. "Preston."

I cursed.

A bitter laugh slipped through her lips. "I'm scared. But more than that, I'm sorrier than I have ever been for anything. This has made me remember how much I really love my brother and how stupid I was. I was scared to face you because you were the one who saw how hateful I was to him while he'd been injured. And I knew you'd be pissed."

Leaning forward, I put my elbows on my knees. "The thing is, I can't not remember what I saw and how hateful you were. I haven't seen or heard from you in three years. But I do understand that a baby can change a person. I'm sorry that Preston did whatever he did. I know he was a prick. I never could stand him. The thing with me is, though, it's going to take time. I need to _see_ that you mean what you say. Just treat them right. That's all I ask. My brother is my best friend, and Cole is his mate. That means something to me, Victoria. I'm the one who brought Cole home and had to see my brother's face. The rage, so much of it that he phased and nearly killed your dad. That whole situation almost turned him into a cold-blooded killer. I don't take that lightly."

For a moment, she looked up at me with shiny eyes before sniffling and looking out at the woods. "And I completely understand that. I really do. And I want to do what's right for this baby. I'm not ready to be a mom, but Cole and Ash would be great fathers."

"That's a lot to ask of them."

"I know. But I couldn't live with myself knowing my son was being raised on the rez with people who weren't family. If they say no, then it's something I'll have to deal with."

"They won't."

She looked at me sharply.

"They won't say no. Cole won't be able to give up his nephew like that and Ash will give Cole anything. I'd know. I'm the same way with Ryell."

She took a deep breath. "I hope you're right. This will give Cole the chance to have a baby that is biologically related to him."

"What story would you use?"

"That I was a surrogate for them. Most likely, the baby will be on the lighter side because of my genes. We could say that Ash was a donor. I hate asking Ash to lie like that, but I know he'd love this baby like his own. He's kind and compassionate. And I know the day will come when he and my brother want kids. This is a perfect opportunity. I'd still be in the baby's life as an aunt, which I could live with."

Sitting back, I watched as the rain started to fall harder. "My mom always taught us to believe that everything will work out the way it's supposed to. And so far, she hasn't been wrong."

"Well, there's always a first time for everything."

Touching her arm to get her attention, I said, "Stop. If you're going to be here now, there is no being negative. We wolves risk our lives every day keeping Forks and the rez safe. We can't afford for there to be any doubt at all. We have to find the positive in a situation because if we don't, we'll go to the ground screaming."

After a moment of studying me, she nodded. "Okay."

I stood up and offered my hand. "Let's go get cleaned up before dinner. Mom will expect us early to talk about all this."

I helped her to her feet and we headed inside. She excused herself to go freshen up.

"So?" Rye asked as I went to sit at the dining table. Everyone looked at me expectantly.

"It's better. I told her I can't forget what I saw that day, but as long as she makes an effort, I'll forgive her. It'll just take time."

Rye took my hand.

"I still don't know why we need a family meeting," Jules said. Today, her copper and black hair was down around her shoulders, her bangs in her eyes. She was wearing a tight tank top and jeans. The tank showed a lot of skin and still after three years, I couldn't help but flinch at the markings on her skin. They looked like frost marks but they'd come from her being struck by lightning over and over again. She'd saved all our lives and could have lost her own. But thankfully, my older sister survived and was still with us. She just looked both fragile and like a badass at the same time. Which she totally was.

"You know how Mom is," Ash said. "She wants to stay connected to what's going on."

"She can't call us?"

Cole ruffled her hair affectionately. She pushed his arm away and stuck her tongue out at him.

"It would be different if we all lived far away," he said. "With us being so close it's really nice having family dinners. Don't take them for granted."

"Seriously," Victoria said, coming back into the room. She'd changed into a pair of jeans and plush sweater. "Our family dinners sucked, especially now with me being pregnant. I always went to bed hungry."

All the wolves in the room growled, even me.

"They didn't feed you?" Rye demanded.

Victoria sat down beside her brother. "They did, but not enough. Mom didn't want me getting baby fat, I guess."

"That's stupid," Jules said. "The baby is a pack baby. Most human women pregnant with a member of the pack's baby always say they're ravenous and get super hot all the time."

"Well, I haven't experienced the heat flashes yet, but Mom always liked the house really cold, so that could have made a difference."

"Possibly," Rye said. "But don't worry about the food now. You won't go to bed hungry."

We all nodded as Toria took on a thankful expression.

"Welp," Jules said, putting her hands on the table. "We should probably go. There's a lot to talk about. Bray just texted and said he's on his way up. So Dad should be home, too."

"Ready?" Cole asked his sister.

She nodded. "Yeah. I actually can't wait to meet the people who took you in. They seem really great."

Cole took her hand. "They are. And if Dox can start to forgive you, they will too."

She looked at me and I nodded.

"Then what are we waiting for?"

 **A couple days later…**

 **RyellPOV**

I woke up in Dox's arms to Dad standing at the foot of my bed with his arms crossed over his chest.

Sighing, I wriggled out of my mate's hold and carefully hopped out of bed when he reached for me. Dad and I both froze until Dox buried his face in my pillow. Then I followed Dad into the hallway.

"Sorry, Daddy," I said softly.

He tried to stay angry but it didn't last. "Well you're obviously still fully clothed and I don't scent sex. I should get used to the idea, I guess."

Together, we started down the hall toward the stairs.

"Even if we do start sleeping together, that doesn't mean I'll forget my responsibilities. You didn't. I know the stories about you and Mom."

He snorted then chuckled. "You are right. Of course, we slept together before I inherited a pack. But I get what you're saying. However, you're still my baby girl, Rye. I just want you to make sure you're okay."

I smiled up at him affectionately. "Dox is the same age you were when you first slept with Mom, married her, _and_ adopted Haleigh all within, like, a month. And don't say you don't want me to make the same mistakes because you don't see any of it as a mistake. You love Mom, and Haleigh picked the two of you. Dox and I aren't looking to adopt any kids or get mated any time soon."

"No, just looking for a romp between the sheets."

I punched his arm. "Dad! Would you prefer us be mated first?"

He sighed. "I know he's your true mate and you're his imprint. But it would make your old man feel better if you were at least _thinking_ about getting mated."

At the bottom of the stairs, I gripped his shoulders. He'd gone down ahead of me.

He turned to face me.

"Dad, Dox and I will get mated. I promise. We're just waiting. Jules and Bray are about to get married. Then Jason and Piper want a ceremony. So Dox and I want to concentrate on building our relationship as well as learning the pack leader ropes. But I can't promise no sex before a mating. Just can't. And you know that. You know how dominant Dox is."

Putting his hands on my waist, he picked me up and set me down on the floor in front of him. "Yes, I know how he is. A lot more dominant than his siblings. And to be honest, the two of you already know how to lead. You don't need lessons, Rye. A lot of being a leader is figuring out your own way. You can't just adopt mine. You have to do what _you_ and _your partner_ feel is right. I ask your mom all the time for her opinion, and more often than not, it's in sync with mine. You and Dox might be different but that's called compromise."

"So no more lessons?"

"I don't see why. You know the basics. Just concentrate on you and Dox, alright? I'm not going anywhere for a while. You could also help your brother with his studies. He'd love that."

I nodded. "Okay, Dad. You win. But I'm sure it's just because I nag you too much."

Chuckling, he pulled me into a hug. "You don't nag, baby girl. I love that you're so curious and willing to learn. But you are seventeen. Mom and I want you to enjoy it. Go piss me off and sleep with your mate. Stay out all hours without calling. Turn your brother rebellious. Just have fun, okay? I need you to stay innocent just a little longer before you get thrown into this mess."

I batted my eyelashes. "Me? Innocent?"

He snorted. "That is true. You were always a troublemaker."

Going up on my toes, I kissed his cheek. "Thanks, Daddy. I love you."

He popped his finger on my nose. "I love you, too, baby."

"I'm gonna go help Mom with breakfast. You wake the boys."

He grinned. "Will do."

I gave him a warning look. "And be nice, Dad. Don't give my boyfriend a heart attack."

The grin turned to a pout. "You take all the fun out of it."

I shook my head as he started back up the stairs and then went into the kitchen to find Mom. Today was French toast day so I washed my hands and dug in.

"Morning, Momma."

She smiled. "Morning, baby. Sleep well?"

"Mhm, Dox stayed over."

"I heard," she said with a laugh. Then she leaned in, "Your dad might give you a hard time, but we're both glad that you have him. He's been so good for you and you for him."

I bumped my shoulder against hers. "Thanks. I didn't think I could ever love someone as much as I do him. Sometimes, though, I wonder if I would love him without all the wolfy attachments like the true mates and imprinting."

Cracking an egg, she shrugged. "I'm sure we've all wondered that at some point, sweetie. But for me, I just see it as Fate giving us what we need, when we need it. As wolves, it's hard for us to go out and date to try to find someone we're at least compatible with. But this way, we find our ultimate partner."

"But some wolves never find what we have."

"You're right, they don't. In that way, we're extremely lucky. Take Caden for instance. The poor man lost his family, but found a new one in Leah and Gage. And Hunter came back to him. Just when he'd thought he'd lost everything and had to replace his old family, a living piece of his past was brought back to him. A living reminder that he'd been loved by a woman who knew she wasn't his soulmate. Some wolves settle, and that's okay with them. Caden was supposed to be in our lives and the pieces of Fate moved him in this direction. My point is, try not to question what you have, baby. Dox loves you, and I'm sure he would love you even if you were both human and in high school together. It would just be different."

"She's probably right," Dox said from the doorway. What little hair he had was all ruffled from both sleep and my fingers from last night. We still hadn't finished what we'd started in the truck a couple days ago, but I knew I was wearing him down every time I touched him.

I shot him a grin over my shoulder. "Morning, baby."

"Morning," he said with a smirk as he went for the coffeemaker. "You mind, Aunt Christa?"

"Not at all, hun. You're always welcome."

"Thanks." He grabbed a mug and poured himself some coffee. His first cup of the day was always black.

Two seconds later, my little brother, Wren, walked through the door with Dad right behind him. Wren's light brown hair was sticking up in all directions and his expression would have done the Grinch proud as he padded toward Dox and the coffee.

We were all about to sit down to eat when Dad's phone chimed. He'd had Wren program it to where everybody had different ringtones for both calls and texts. This one was Garrett's, my brother-in-law.

Dad looked at the text and frowned. Sighing, he stood up. "Sorry. I need to call him. I'll be back in a minute."

I watched him walk into the living room toward the hallway where his office was with a frown. It was rare that Garrett called. It was usually Haleigh calling to give us updates. The fact that it was Garrett meant something serious was up that he either needed my dad's advice or something even more serious.

Under the table, Dox took my hand and squeezed a little.

I looked up at him but couldn't bring myself to smile. I always worried that something had happened to Haleigh when Garrett was the one to call.

"It'll be okay," Wren said. He reached over to take my other hand.

Mom put her napkin in her lap. "I'm sure Garrett just needs some advice about something. You know he and Haleigh are trying to reform the pack so they're not so rigid. With Garrett being raised in that kind of environment, it's hard for him to visualize what he needs to do, even with Haleigh there. Besides, with Tabitha and Mitch, they have their hands full."

She was right. It happened all the time lately, especially since Haleigh had given birth to their second kid, my niece, Tabitha. But there was something in my gut that didn't feel right.

"Ryell," Mom said. "Eat, honey. Let Dad handle it, okay?"

I blinked over at her. "I wasn't doing anything."

She gave me a look. "I know that expression on your face. Stay here and eat. Walker will tell us if something's happened. Until then, we're a bunch of cranky werewolves prone to temper tantrums when we're hungry."

Sighing, I picked up my fork.

Dox leaned over to kiss my temple.

Reveling in the comfort he offered, I let out a breath and went back to eating.

But fifteen minutes later, I was the first one to see Dad walk across the living room back to us. There was a strain in his expression that said he was hiding.

"Walker?" Mom asked worriedly. "Everything okay?"

He looked up at my mom. Then to Wren and Dox. Then his gaze landed on mine.

"Dad?" I asked.

He held his hands up. "Your sister's fine. I promise."

Mom and Wren relaxed with deep breaths.

"But?" I asked.

He sat down at the head of the table. "The kids are fine. Garrett's fine. He just called to tell me that three of his wolves have gone missing."

I saw Dox look at him sharply. "What?"

Dad nodded as he filled his plate. "Even more disturbing is that there isn't a trace of them anywhere. It's like they just vanished."

Now in full Alpha mode, Dox leaned forward on his elbows. "Witches?" he asked.

"Possibly," Dad shrugged.

Growling, my mate sat back. "I thought we were done with that crap."

Pointing his fork at him, Dad said, "Pack witch. It could just be one. It would explain the missing scents."

"So, what?" I asked. "Another pack is attacking Garrett's?"

"Garrett seems to think so. He said something was happening with one of the packs further south from him. Some sort of power play. Something could have gone wrong."

Mom looked at him sharply. "Walker, that's enough for now."

He gave her a surprised expression before looking at Wren. He nodded. "You're right. I'm sorry, sweetheart."

But Wren was glaring. "You said the war was over, Dad."

"Wren," Mom snapped. "Stop and eat your breakfast."

"No," he said defiantly before looking back to Dad. "You _said_ it was over. Uncle Jake said it was over. You almost _died_ , Dad. Rye and I can't go through that again. We watched you as you were dying. Both of you," he said now to both Mom and Dad. Wren stood up, tears shimmering in his eyes. "Don't you get it? We both knew that if Dad died, you would have, too, Mom. He's your soulmate. Not even your kids could trump that."

Mom stared up at him, stricken. She reached out for him. "Oh, honey-,"

He pulled away. "No. Don't try to tell us it isn't true. You got worse when Dad did. You were following him. And I don't blame you. But do you really not understand the pressure you put on me? On Ryell? We never talked about this, but Dox didn't want me in that room. He wanted to protect me, to keep me from seeing the two of you like that. But Uncle Jake was convinced that I could help. I almost didn't go in there. And if I hadn't, you wouldn't be here right now. Dad only woke up and started getting better _after_ I came in to talk to him for the first time. Ryell and the others had been in there countless times, and yet it was me. _Me!_ " He looked to Dad. "I still see you in that hospital bed in my dreams, how bad you were. And it was my fault. If I had just been there sooner, if I had been braver sooner, you wouldn't have suffered as much."

And then he was shoving away from the table and running out into the living room toward the stairs.

"Wren!" Mom called, standing up.

"Let him go, Mom," I said quietly as a door upstairs slammed shut.

Dad was sitting in his chair, rubbing his chest as if someone had tried to claw his heart out.

As Mom sat back down, she said, "I had no idea he was having nightmares." She looked at Dad. "Did you?"

He shook his head and stared into nothing. "No, I didn't."

I shared a look with Dox. He looked angry but I knew he wasn't going to say what he really wanted to. He was still angry with his dad for that day. I wasn't. I knew he'd wanted to save my dad because he thought of him as a brother. It was hard to give up on someone when there was a viable option for help no matter how remote.

"Did you know, Ryell?"

My gaze went to Mom and then Dad. "Of course I knew. I've always known."

Mom's eyes widened. "How long has this been going on?"

"How long do you think, Mom?"

"Why didn't you tell us?" she demanded while Dad just watched me.

Putting my fork down, I took a deep breath and sat back. "Why would I? He made me promise not to. Besides, he didn't want you to think he was weak. Especially you," I said to Dad.

An incredulous look widened his eyes. "Weak? But what he did was strength. Doing something that scares you is strength."

I shook my head. "He didn't do it to be strong, Dad. It was out of duty. Didn't you listen to him just now? He had to try because if he didn't and you died, it would have haunted him the rest of his life. He would have blamed himself for your deaths."

She scoffed. "That's ridiculous. It wouldn't have been his fault."

"Is it?" Dox asked quietly. "Is it really that far of a reach for him to think that? Because he was right. You didn't respond until he was talking to you. Your only son's voice is what pulled you out of your own head long enough to get better. And that's what my dad had counted on that day. So no, it's not unreasonable for him to make that connection."

Mom and Dad shared a look.

"Did you know about the nightmares?" Dad asked.

Dox nodded without shame. "I've always known. Ryell told me, but then Wren started coming to me and Ash to talk. He knew we wouldn't judge him, especially me. I was there that day. And Jules has talked to him a few times when neither Ash nor I were available." Moving his plate aside, he leaned forward. "Look, we're past what all happened, but Wren isn't wrong for feeling the way he does. You might be able to help by talking to him, but I wouldn't tell him that his feelings are 'ridiculous'. That'll only push him away. Speaking as a guy and putting myself in his position, I'd want to be validated and understood."

Mom and Dad shared a look before Dad reached out to take Mom's hand.

Dox looked at Dad. "Now talk to me about Garrett."

* * *

 **So we're getting introduced to a little bit of the drama now. Yay. Alright, let me know how you feel. As always, I love you guys! xoxoxoxo**


	5. Chapter 5

**Holy cow, guys! I'm actually just as surprised as you are that I'm back. I can't promise any regular updates, but I'll try not to be away for two months again.**

 **I know a lot of you don't like this story and wished I'd wrapped the twins up with Jules's story. I'm sorry you feel that way, but the overall story just isn't finished yet. I love hearing what you guys think though. I really do.**

 **Also, on the poll. It's still up because we're still at a tie. I'm going to put my foot down right now and say that I will close the poll when I next update. And since we know I'm not like clockwork on updating, you need to vote for what you want to happen to Cole. If it stays at a tie, I will be forced to choose which way to go. Just an fyi. If you need to know how to go vote, PM me.**

 **And one more thing...HAPPY HALLOWEEN! I really wish this could have been a Halloween chapter buuuuuut, I didn't get the chance. Maybe the next one. Dunno yet.**

 **Now...Please Enjoy!**

* * *

 **ColePOV**

Ash and I were sitting out in the hallway just waiting while Toria had her therapy session/baby checkup with Carlisle. She'd wanted to have a heart to heart with him about that what all she'd gone through over the past three years. I hated the fact that she felt she needed therapy in the first place. It made me hate our parents even more.

Beside me, Ash reached over to take my hand. "She'll be okay, Cole. She's strong. You helped raise her to be strong."

I squeezed his hand. "I know. I just hate thinking about what might have happened to her in the time since I left, and how bad it's gotten since she got pregnant."

"Don't," he said. "Don't do that to yourself. She wouldn't have come with you in the beginning anyway. She just needed her own circumstances to leave. At least she called you. She could have just run. Besides, Carlisle may not have any degrees in psychology but he's studied it for a long time. If anyone can help her, it's him."

Dropping my head back against the wall, I turned to look at him. "Your family is seriously amazing."

He smiled. "Yeah they are pretty great."

For a few more minutes, we sat there in silence before the door opened.

Ash and I were up off the ground in a hot second as Carlisle leaned out with a smile. "She's ready to see you. Both of you."

He stood the side while I walked in and Ash followed, his hand still in mine. Victoria was sitting on the edge of the bed, her legs swinging. She was staring down at the floor but I could tell that she'd been crying.

"Toria?" I asked softly as I rushed over to her. "Are you okay?"

Blinking fast as though clearing visions from her mind, she looked up and gave me a weak smile. "Hey, big brother. Hey, Ash."

Ash came up beside me. "Hey, Toria. Everything all right?" He reached over and grabbed up the box of tissues from the table nearby.

She took a tissue and nodded. "Yeah. Just talking about it all sucks. But I feel better for having said it."

Moving closer, I rubbed her neck and shoulder. "Wanna talk about it?"

When she looked up at me, there was fear and a deep sadness there. "Not really. I just want to hear about the baby."

Nodding in understanding, Ash and I turned toward the doctor. Toria looked up expectantly.

Carlisle came over, hands in the pockets of his coat. "Overall, the baby is very healthy. I'm more concerned with you, Victoria. Your weight isn't where I'd like it to be with how far along you are. I'd like to make a nutritional value chart for the rest of the pregnancy, and it would be easier if the whole household stuck with it." He gave me and Ash a look.

Ash nodded. "Of course. Shouldn't be too hard."

My love for him grew just a little more in that moment.

Carlisle nodded. "There was mention of your weight in your previous doctor's notes, but he didn't do anything about it. Was he aware that the father was pack?"

Toria shook her head. "Mom and Dad didn't want anyone to know."

The doc sighed. "Well, that's over now. You need to eat by the chart I'll make. Over the years, I've made progress on learning what works well with pack pregnancies. There will be times you cheat, and that's okay. Just keep those days to a minimum. Now, one more thing I'm worried about is your blood pressure. Your records indicate it's been pretty high since the beginning. The doctor didn't seem concerned with that either."

I now knew him well enough to know that he was irritated with that other doctor. And if Carlisle had anything to do with it, that other doctor probably wouldn't be practicing for much longer.

"Okay," Ash said. "So what do we do?"

Carlisle's expression became serious as he looked at each of us. "No stress. I'm not going say bed rest, but no stress. No hurrying around. Just rest and relax."

Toria nodded. "But what about work?"

"What do you do?"

"I'm a secretary. Just office things. Answering phones, filing, things like that."

"Well, make sure you keep it stress-free, all right? I'd be happy to give you a doctor's note and have a talk with your employers if necessary."

"Ever since they learned I was pregnant, they've toned down my projects."

"Good. Other than those two issues, I think that everything else is fine. As always you can come in for a check-up whenever you feel it necessary. If you have any questions and concerns, feel free to call."

"Thank you," Victoria said. "So much."

He smiled before going to a machine to pick up an ultrasound photo. "Your baby boy," he said, handing it to her.

Hesitantly, she reached out to take the photo. For a moment, she stared at it before swallowing hard and handing it to me. "Here, you take it."

I frowned and looked up at Ash.

Ash frowned, too, but turned to his grandfather. "Can we get a moment?"

Carlisle inclined his head. "Of course." And then he left the room, leaving us all in an awkward silence.

While Toria looked down at her hands, Ash looked at me as he moved to stand in front of her. "Victoria?" he asked. When she didn't look up, he put his finger under her chin a lifted. "Toria, what's wrong?"

She took a deep breath, squared her shoulders, and looked up. "Nothing. The baby is going to be your son. I thought you should have it."

Ash and I shared another look.

I stepped up closer to her. "Toria, we haven't made any decisions regarding that. Besides, your feelings about keeping him could change."

Before I stopped talking, she was already shaking her head. "No, they won't."

"You don't know that," Ash cut in gently. "Once you spend more time away from your parents and start really doing for yourself, you'll see that it's okay to care about your baby. It's okay to love him. It's okay to change your mind and want him. Even if you hate Preston and this wasn't your plan, you might find that you want this. And that's okay, Toria."

Staring up at him, she bit her lip, eyes glassy. "But I'm so young. People-,"

"You've never cared what people thought before," I said. "This baby is yours. Only you and those you tell know your story, Victoria. This is your son, not anybody else's. What you decide to do is your decision. And we will help you. If you decide you want to be his mother, you won't be in this alone. The pack will look after you and the baby. We all might have hated Preston, but the sins of the father will not be passed down to your baby. I can promise you that, little sister. And we still have some time to figure out what we're gonna do, okay?" Reaching up, I cupped her face. "I'm right here, Toria. I won't let you fall."

Eyes tearing up and spilling over, she gripped my wrists. Then she reached out to Ash with one hand. He took it with a soft smile.

"Thank you," she said. "I don't know what I would have done without the two of you. I was so sure you'd never want anything to do with me after what I'd done."

I used the pads of my thumbs to wipe the tears away. "Like I said, I don't blame you at all. I forgave you a long time ago. People change." When she smiled at me, I smiled back and wiped her face. "Now, let's get you cleaned up. I'm sure my future in-laws wanna see you."

The smile vanished and she blinked fast. "What?"

Ash grinned. "My mom, sister, and sisters-in-law will want to know all about the check-up and make sure you're okay."

"But I'm fine," she said, bewildered. "It was just a check-up."

"And Cole is a part of this family," Ash said. "You're his sister and came to us for help. That means that you're going to be treated like family. We adopt people like crazy and the girls are always looking for another girl to take in."

Victoria breathed in deeply and swiped her thumbs under her eyes before dabbing with the tissue. "I guess I better pull myself together. Don't want Mrs. Black to see me like this."

"Wow," Ash said. "Don't call her that. She'd prefer Ness or Nessie."

Toria laughed. "Sorry. I'm not used to the casual thing you guys have."

"Eh, you will." He shrugged.

My sister took a deep breath and held her hands out. "Alright, boys. Help me down."

We each took a hand.

 **AshPOV**

Ten minutes later, we were pulling up behind Dad's truck in the already packed drive.

In the back seat, Toria let out a nervous laugh. "You guys really do just hang out together all the time."

Cole and I chuckled as we got out of the car.

"Yeah," I said. "We do."

The dinner two nights ago had gone well. Surprisingly, everyone quickly got over Toria's past mistakes the moment they saw that Cole had forgiven her. Mom and Jules had doted on her while Ryell stayed with Dox. Dad and Bray had told us about Cole's dad visiting. Toria had cried at how the two of them had stood up for her.

Before we could even touch the front door, it swung open. Jules was standing there with a smile. "Come on in! We just got lunch put together. And don't worry," she said, turning around to go back inside. "We made a lot of food, so no skimping. Eat as much as you want."

Toria smiled and followed her. "Thank you."

The girls went to the kitchen where Mom gave Toria a tight hug and warm welcome.

Cole and I went to the couch. Jason, Will, and Dox were battling it out on the game console. Cordelia was sitting in Jason's lap where he was sitting on the floor. She was caged by his arms as she rested back against his broad chest. He'd bulked up more over the years, growing into the broad shoulders. He'd gotten pretty hot and Cole agreed. It was good that we could share the ogling.

"So, how'd it go?" Hunter asked. She was on the couch with Will leaning back against her legs.

Leaning down, I kissed her cheek. "Baby's fine," I said, handing her the photo. "Carlisle's worried about her weight and blood pressure though. Apparently the other doctor was aware of her condition but didn't do anything about it. Pretty sure that other doctor is going to have a surprise in the form of my grandfather waiting in his office soon."

Hunter growled a little. "Good. I'm glad she's here now," she said in her thick accent. "She needs a proper family."

"Amen to that," Cole said, sliding off his jacket. "Doc said she needed to take it easy. No bed rest yet, but that might come if she doesn't listen. And he's going to make a nutritional chart to follow for the rest of the pregnancy."

"Alright, everyone," Piper said from the kitchen. "Food's ready.

As one, we all moved in a wave toward the dining table. Someone had lengthened it to accommodate all of us. Cole and I sat together. Toria sat next to her brother with Jules on her other side. Hunter had tried to take Cordy from Jason, but my niece had picked her person for the day. He sat down with her in his lap and fed her some pasta from his plate. Piper helped. They looked good as a little family and I secretly hoped they had a baby soon. Everybody made sure that Toria ate her fill until we could see that she started to get tired.

"So," Dad said, "Jason, have you picked any enforcers to follow Victoria onto the rez?"

Jason swallowed his bite and cleared his throat. "I've made a list, but I want to narrow it down. With what their dad pulled the other day, I want enforcers who won't hesitate. He's not going to get anywhere near her. Nobody will without her permission."

"Isn't this excessive?" Toria asked.

Every male at the table looked at her.

Her expression turned nervous. "Ah, sorry."

Piper held a plate across the table. "Have a cookie."

Toria shook her head. "That's okay. I'm not-," When she looked around the table at everyone glaring at her, she reached out. "I guess one wouldn't hurt."

"It's not excessive," Jason said as she quietly ate the cookie. "If your dad gets his hands on you, he'll lock you up. Then we'd be forced to come save you, and that could get messy. This way, he's going to have warning that you're off limits. If he tests my men, he'll know our threat isn't empty and we won't be paying hospital bills. I will not let a pregnant female get hurt when I have the means to help protect her. These enforcers are trained to protect. That's their only job. I'm not going to waste that."

Toria nodded. "Thank you."

"You're welcome. And they'll be there when you go to work in case you need help with anything. Jacob and I have already agreed to talk with your employers."

She looked worried. "Great. I'm gonna lose my job."

Across the table, Mom frowned. "Why would you say that?"

"Because those two are intimidating on their own. And then they want me to have a group of fighters, big guys, to follow me around. The people I work for are the least intimidating people I know. They're so kind. It's family run."

"This isn't to protect you from _them_ ," Dad said.

"Exactly," Jason replied. "The guys I'm going for will be kind and courteous when not in action. They'll follow your lead. If they don't see that you're feeling threatened, then they'll play nice and help you out. Besides, only one of them will be with you in the office. The others will be scattered around the building and outside. And of course, you'll get to meet them before you go back to work. You have a few days, right?"

She nodded.

"Okay, you get to know these guys and we'll go with whoever you're comfortable with." When she still looked uneasy, he said, "Look, when you go onto the rez, you won't even see all of them, but they'll see you. I want you to pick two that you're comfortable with being near you. Those are the two you'll keep close. The others will melt away but not far enough away that they can't get to you in a hot second if something goes down. Your dad's popular on the rez despite what happened with Cole; he might try to get some buddies to help him out. We won't let anyone hurt you."

"Do you really think it'll get that far?" she asked. "I mean, why would he even go through all that trouble? He's already been threatened by _you_ ," she said to Dad.

"True," Dad answered. "But he sees you and your brother as possessions that he's lost control of. I wouldn't be surprised if he tried something. He came into my place of business where all employees are my pack and threatened me. He'll have no qualms with coming after you again."

"What about Cole? He and Ash are down on the rez all the time. They work at the school."

Putting down his fork, Dad leaned forward on his elbows. "Your father sees his kids as his possessions. The thing is, Cole is gay and; therefore, not a man. Not his son. Not to mention that Cole is big enough now to take him on and win. He's had training. You don't have that. You're pregnant and vulnerable. Where Cole isn't his main concern, you are. You came to your brother for help and he's part of this family. If you don't want your father to force you back home, then he won't. We won't let him. You're safe with us, but you have to let us do things our way. We're werewolves. Our protection involves brute strength and intimidation. Cole is my son's mate; people would be stupid to go after him, but your situation is a grey area."

Jason looked at her. "If you don't want our help, tell us now. I don't want to waste resources we could use elsewhere."

Victoria looked from Dad to Jason, her hands on her belly, rubbing absently. Then she looked down at where her son was growing. Finally, she nodded. "I don't want to go back. I'd love the help. Thank you."

Dad and Jason nodded.

"Then we'll do what we have to," Dad said. "All we want you to worry about is what you're going to do after the baby's born. That's all you should be worrying about. Preston might be a piece of work and not coming back, but there are plenty of men here that will help you raise that boy, Victoria. If you choose to keep him as your own, he'll have a ton of uncles to teach him how to be a man. That, I can promise you, okay? Nobody here is judging you for what happened with Preston. He lied to you about one of our most sacred traditions. It's not your fault. You can choose what you want to make out of your life. You're not too young to be a mother. In fact, I think you'd make a great one."

Toria looked up at him with shiny eyes and sniffed. "You do?"

Dad nodded. "Of course I do. You and Cole have gone through so much in your lives. Not to mention, you've also thought of ways to protect him even if you don't keep him. That's what a true mother does. A mother loves and cares for her child."

Beside him, Mom smiled and reached out for his hand. "Jacob is right, Victoria. And you wouldn't have only the men. You'd have plenty of support as well from all of us women. Of course, we know that it still boils down to your choice, but we want it out in the open what we think. You'll not be judged for keeping your son, the one thing in your life that would truly be yours. And if you do get judged…well, whoever it is will have the alpha family to deal with, and I don't think anyone would risk that."

Toria sniffled again and rubbed her stomach. "Thank you. So much. You've all been so kind. I really did feel like I was all alone in this. I didn't think the pack would understand, that they'd take Preston's side since he's pack."

"We don't care about Preston," Dox said, surprising everyone. We all looked at him, but his eyes were on Victoria. "Your baby is pack because of his genetics, but we don't care about Preston. We care about your son. And you. Even if we weren't all a bunch of wolves, you're still Quileute, and we protect our own no matter what. And if Preston comes back, we'll deal with him."

"What if he wants to be a part of the baby's life?"

"If you keep the baby as your son," Dad said, "that would be your choice. And we'd support your decision."

Cole took her hand. "Like I told you before, little sister, you're not alone."

She smiled up at him, squeezed his hand, and then let go to wipe her eyes. "Okay, okay. Enough about this mess. Let's find something less depressing to talk about. Please?"

And that was the beauty of our family. In order to make people as comfortable as possible, we'd do anything they asked. So, Dox ended up changing the subject by asking Cole about the football team. Jules asked about my classes. It all turned into normal conversation about more grandbabies for my parents as well as Aunt Shelby and Uncle Seth. Bray promised his mom that he and my sister were working on. That got a few looks and grunts and laughs. But overall, none of us had a problem with the growth of our family. In fact, we were all still taking bets.

Once I was done eating, I sat back just watch the people I loved. Cole took my hand and we shared a smile.

Moments like these were totally worth all the drama.

 **DoxPOV**

"It was really nice, what you said earlier to Victoria."

I looked down at the top of Rye's head. She had her ear pressed to my chest while we sat on the couch of the cabin I was staying in and watching the fire. Rain was pattering down on the roof making the warm space cozy.

I kissed the top of her head. "Well, it's true. It's something I've been thinking about since she and I talked. She's terrified and I shouldn't add to that. There's enough for her to worry about."

She used my chest to push herself up to look at me.

"What?" I asked as her eyes roamed my face.

Rye moved around so that she was straddling my legs and sitting on my knees. She brought her hands up, fingers tracing my face. "You're such a good man. Hard-headed, but so good."

Leaning down, her lips were a brush on mine. A tingle zipped through my body, a spark that made me want her. It had been getting worse for the past year. My want for her. I knew what it was. The mating instinct. Whether she knew what she was doing or not, her body was giving off signals and scents that she was ready to take that step, that she wanted it. Some days, the scent was so bad that I'd just stare at her hungrily until she caught me. She'd give me a worried look letting me know that she had no idea what her body was doing.

Jason had caught me once and explained that females of their kind of wolf tended to go into heat cycles. Only alpha females could control the urges to the point where they thought they were just horny, and most of the time, they didn't realize they were giving off the scent. He'd explained that it drove me crazy because I was her male, her mate. When the scent was at its most powerful was when she was at her most fertile.

Right now, the scent was a low hum in my sinuses. She'd started giving it off all the time. Jason said it would cool down once we had sex for the first time, the frenzy would simmer. But that first time, if and when I gave in, would be rough. At least he'd always heard that it was. It had been for him and Piper, not that I'd needed to know that. But the roughness was what worried me. I didn't want to hurt her. She really was more fragile than she let on. I didn't want to lose control and was worried she wouldn't be right there with me in the moment she needed to be to keep me from hurting her.

"Dox? Baby, what is it?"

Looking up at her, I studied her face. "Nothing. Just thinking." Reaching up, I pushed my hand through the curtain of her hair so that I could cup her face with one hand. My other went to her thigh. "I love you."

She gave me a knowing smile. "I love you, too, but that's not what you were thinking about."

"No, it wasn't."

Her eyes narrowed. "Not going to tell me?"

I stroked my thumb over her cheekbone. "Just a conversation I had with Jason."

Her eyebrows went up. "Oh?"

"About mating."

Now she frowned and sat up. "Dox, this is like pulling teeth. Talk to me. We can't learn to lead together if we can't even be open and honest. What's going on with you?"

Taking a deep breath, I spread my arms across the back of the couch. "The other day you said you wanted us to be together, and it just got me thinking. For a year, you've been driving me crazy and not knowing you're doing it."

Her hands smoothed over my chest. "What are you talking about?"

Reaching out, I played with curl at her waist. "Remember that day when you caught me glaring at you and you asked what was wrong?" When she nodded, I went on. "Well the way Jason explained it was that your heat cycles have started and your body is giving off a scent, pheromones, I guess. And sometimes, it's so strong that I literally have to root myself to the spot to keep from jumping you. Jason says that because you're an alpha female, you don't go crazy when the cycle is at its peak. You just think you're really horny. He also said that my aggressiveness will tone down after we're together for the first time, but that first time could be really rough."

Her hand came up so she could brush her thumb over my lips. "Is that why you've been holding back?"

"I don't want to hurt you, Rye. We've been finding out how dominant I am. It's clearly much worse than Will or Ash have it. And putting you through what goes on in my head when that scent is at its strongest scares me. It's like I lose me, I lose sight of the fact that you're a person and not a slave to my wants. What if you aren't as into it in that moment and I hurt you? I wouldn't be able to live with myself. "

Cupping my face, she slid higher up on my thighs. "Shhh. It's okay, Dox. I think you're forgetting that I'm not human. I can take whatever you give out."

I gripped her wrists. "Rye, I'm bigger and stronger. You're still a woman, still sensitive. What if I hurt you on the inside? It would be like rape."

Her voice went gentle. "Dox, baby, I think you're overthinking this. I have every faith that when our time comes to make love for the first time, I'll be right there with you. Hell, I'm already there. I _want_ you and everything you have to give me."

Apparently, I didn't look convinced because she scooted closer to give me more intimate eye contact.

"Do you know how many times I nearly came here to tie you down and rip your clothes off to take what I want from you? _That's_ rape, Dox. Some nights the wanting gets so bad, but I force myself to stay home and as far away from you as possible. On those nights, I want to sink my claws and fangs into your skin and tear you apart while you take me as hard as you can. It's not romantic at all, but God, I want it so bad. And then when the urge passes, I feel so embarrassed."

For a moment, I just stared up at her in surprise at the admission. That was so close to everything I've wanted that it was hard to process the fact that she'd felt the same all along.

"So that's why there were times I wouldn't see you for days?"

I was even more surprised when her cheeks reddened. "I couldn't face you until I had those urges under control. I'm so scared of them, that I'll hurt you. So, when I tell you that I'll be fine when that moment comes, I'm not lying. And I also think that we match temperaments during the cycle. You can scent me, I can't. What's it like for you right now? This moment."

I took a moment to think about it. "There's a…humming…under my skin. And when you kissed me just now, my whole body buzzed with it. I want you but not to the point of frenzy the way it is when the cycle is at its strongest."

"That is exactly the same for me right now. Maybe we can use this to our advantage."

"What do you mean?"

"Maybe we should plan our first time around my cycle. Plan it for the time when it's weakest. That way it'll be as close to normal as two people can get. I know it's not spontaneous or romantic, but it'll be safer for our peace of mind."

I nodded. "That actually sounds pretty good."

Rye smiled and wrapped her arms around my neck. "See? This is what happens when we talk to each other. Our families are giving us room to do our relationship our way. They're treating us like adults. We need to act like it."

"Then why didn't you tell me about you?"

"Because I knew you'd worry. Mom already warned me that this would happen. I just didn't want you to think we needed to get it on as soon as possible out of a sense of duty to me or something. I want it special with you, Dox. I can handle it when it's at its worst. Mom helps."

Wrapping her up in my arms, I looked up at her. "We need to talk about a plan, then."

She nodded. "I'm thinking on the next go round. The sooner, the better to be honest."

At just the thought, my heart started racing. "You're getting to peak soon, huh?"

Another nod. "Yeah. I can feel it. Another week or so, it'll hit."

I ran my hands up her back. "Then let's plan for after it fades. That'll be the time where we'll be as close to two normal beta wolves as possible."

"Okay," she said softly. "I know you wanted to wait, to make it special. I'm so sorry, Dox."

"Hey, don't do that. It's not your fault, Rye. It's your biology. And who says it can't be special even though we're planning it? I might have an ace or two up my sleeve."

"You really are the best," she said giving me a sweet smile.

I rubbed her arms. "Nah. I just know what you need to hear. And I know what we need to do together. Right now, we're both is a lust haze and it's a wolf thing. We'll get through it. Hopefully Jason will be right and we'll calm down."

Leaning forward, her forehead touched mine. "I hope so. Every time we're together, I keep thinking about ripping your clothes off even if people see us. I just want us to be 'us', if that makes any sense."

"It does. It makes perfect sense, Rye. We'll be able to think again. But if I had known about you going through that, we could have planned this much sooner. I hate the thought of it."

She ran her hands through my short hair. "Baby, it's not as bad as you're imagining it. Just a really bad temper tantrum when neither Mom nor Dad would let me out of the house. But I was super horny."

Now that made me laugh. "Yeah, me too." But then I had a thought. "Did you-?"

It took a second for her to get it but when she did her eyebrows went up and she pressed her lips together. "I wanted to, but no. I want _all_ my firsts with you. Did you?"

I shook my head. "Cold showers for hours, baby."

She laughed but it didn't last long. "That could hurt you, Dox. I've heard that it can hurt if a guy doesn't…I mean…you know what I mean."

Grinning, I nodded. "I know what you mean. I'm perfectly fine. It was definitely a temptation. One touch and I would have been done, especially with all the dirty thoughts in my head. But I want you, Rye. Everything with you."

Her hands ran over my face. "Well, don't hurt yourself. And soon, you won't have to worry about that. Once we get over the first time, we'll learn each other." She leaned in for a kiss. "All day." Another kiss. "Every day. For hours." Kiss. "Hours." Kiss. "And hours."

"Mmm," I mumbled with her lips on mine. "I think I like the sound of that."

She grinned. "Me, too. But until then, can we please make out? Without your shirt?"

"Can't wait to get me naked, huh?"

Rye shrugged innocently. "Half naked is better than nothing. Now, take it off."

I rolled my eyes as she reached for the bottom of my shirt and yanked it over my head.

"Ah, that's better," she said as she ran her nails over my skin.

Shaking my head, I gripped the back of her head and pulled her down. "Shut up and kiss me, woman."

We then proceeded to have the hottest make out session I'd allowed us to have in a year. Even her shirt ended up on the floor, but only because I needed more of her skin on mine. Her strawberry blonde curls got wrapped around my fingers and fists. There was a lot of heavy breathing, growling, and nipping. Bleeding lips and tongues. Hands roamed and balled into fists to keep from touching too much. It was intense and exactly what we needed.

Just as we were slowing down, there was a knock on the door.

Ryell collapsed on my chest, breathing hard. "Mmm," she mumbled, her tongue snaking out to lick my skin. "That helped. A lot."

I swept my hand down her back. "Good. That's probably one of your parents."

In the work of a moment, she was up and off me, slipping into her shirt on her way to the door. I moved slower because there were more scratches in my skin. Deep, too. They wouldn't heal for a while because we were both werewolves. If she'd been human, they'd already be gone. But as it was, I hissed as I slid on my shirt and met her at the door.

"Hey, Daddy."

Walker was standing there with his arms crossed and looking amused. "Innocent tone, huh? I know what that means. Your mom sent me to check on you. She wants you home. It's late and you weren't answering your phone."

Rye flushed and looked down. "Sorry. Got a little caught up."

Walker chuckled. "I can tell." His eyes went to where the blood was seeping into my white t-shirt. "Everything okay?" he asked a bit protectively.

She rolled her eyes. "Fine, Dad." Then she turned to me and lifted her face up.

I leaned in to kiss her already swollen lips.

"Love you," she said. "I'll see you tomorrow?"

I nodded. "Absolutely. Love you, too."

I could tell that she forced herself away from me and started for her house.

Walker stayed and looked at me. "You okay?"

I shrugged. "Will be. Got a little intense."

He nodded. "She'll be peaking again in a few days."

"I know. Keep her away from me when that happens. Neither of us want to go at it when we're mindless like that. We've made a plan to take care of it. And I promise I'll take care of her when that time comes." When we both fell into silence and shifted uncomfortably, I said, "I know this is hard for you, being her dad and all."

He took a deep breath and nodded again. "I'm glad she has you, Dox. As future sons-in-law goes, I could have gotten a lot worse. Just remember that she is my baby girl, my first born."

"I will. If we ever have a daughter, I want to be the type of man that she'll compare her mate to. I'd want her to find the kind of man that all the parents have raised us kids to be. And any sons we have will be raised the way me and my brothers were."

Reaching out, he clapped me on the shoulder. "You'll be a good dad someday, Dox. I have no doubt about that."

"Thanks."

His hand went to my neck. "Clean yourself up. You're bleeding everywhere and I don't want to have to replace that couch when you eventually move out to an actual house with Ryell."

I looked at him suspiciously. "Sounds like you have plans."

He just grinned. "Maybe I do. Good night, Dox."

I frowned, but said, "Good night, Uncle Walker."

As soon as he was gone, I closed and locked the door. I was staying in one of the visitor cabins. It was small and cozy, but he was right. I wanted a home with Rye, and I couldn't wait for that to happen. I wanted to be mated to her, married. Whichever she wanted. But first, Jules was getting married. Then, Piper and Jason wanted their mating. I didn't want to try to skip ahead of them. My sister had been working so hard on her wedding and I didn't want to be the one to ruin that by getting mated first. She deserved her happily ever after with Bray. And Piper was like a sister to me, Jason like a brother. I wouldn't disrespect them, either. But I couldn't wait until I had it all with Ryell.

For now, though, I settled on slipping out of my shirt again to clean up the deepest of the scratches, the ones that were still bleeding. They stung like a bitch, but I loved each one of them. I'd always love the marks she left on me. And that led me to thinking about the marks Piper and Jason had given to each other. The mark of true mates. They were rare. Only a few couples in this pack were true mates, and they hid their marks. Jason and Piper wore them proudly, and I couldn't blame them. They were alphas of their own little pack. The marks were signs of their dominance. I wanted that for me and Rye as well. I wanted to wake up every morning to see the scars of my teeth in her skin. I wanted to look in the mirror and see hers in mine.

But all of that was a long way off. Right now, we just had to make it through her heat cycles and our first time together. I also had to find those couple of aces I'd been talking about earlier. Despite what Rye thought, I was far from perfect. Romance was not one of my strong suits. At least not romance on purpose. I needed to talk to Jules or Piper. Piper would probably be the best bet. Her attitude, as opposed to my sister's, was closer to Rye's. I'd talk to her tomorrow.

After all the scratches were patched up, I stripped the rest of my clothing and collapsed into the bed. Rye's scent was fading from the sheets because she hadn't been on the bed in a few days. I wanted it back.

Hugging the pillow that held her scent the strongest, I closed my eyes and fell asleep to the image of her smiling face.

* * *

 **Phew. I don't know about you guys, but I really love Dox. I think he's quickly becoming my favorite male behind Jason. I can't wait to write him and Rye together. Please don't yell at me for being gone. I really do love y'all! Please let me know what you think. As always I read all messages and reviews! Love you! xoxoxoxoxo**


	6. Chapter 6

**Yes, yes. I've been gone for a while. I've been working a lot lately and sleeping when I can. But I've finally finished this chapter. I wish I could have written chapters for the holidays but it just didn't pan out. I'm hoping that once we reach the new year and my hours at work drop, I'll be able to update more. I really hate that I can't keep a steady schedule for you guys, so thank you for being patient!**

 **Now, as for Preston. Many of you are looking into the old stories to find him. He wasn't in them. This is a character I randomly created. And, as far as I know, he won't be in the story at all. All you need to know is that he's the baby's father.**

 **Also, with the poll. Now that it's not tied, I am closing it. I have a solid idea on where to go with Cole.**

 **Now, please enjoy!**

* * *

 **A Couple Days Later…**

 **JasonPOV**

The house was quiet as I closed the front door and leaned against it. The sun was just rising over the trees while everyone was still sleeping. Walker had graciously had a house built for me and Piper with extra rooms for those of our pack who felt better staying near us. Not to mention, the ones we trusted the most. There were other smaller cabins around us for the rest of our people. Walker had had them built, too. We were a good ways away from the main compound in order to give each other some room. As long as we didn't cause trouble, Walker didn't care that we stayed. Piper and I made sure that our people worked around the compound to earn their keep.

Closing my eyes, I stretched my hearing. Piper was upstairs in our room. Her breathing was deep and even. I could pick her heartbeat out of a crowd if I needed to. I'd always find her. I smiled. She'd fallen asleep before my watch was over. As head enforcer, I took the graveyard shifts to give the guys family time. Many of them were finding mates in the pack and around town, and starting families. Something my dad hadn't allowed. I was a different leader. I had my true mate and a small pack of my own. Yeah, they were a mix of species, but they were mine and Piper's. I felt that the enforcers, no matter how dangerous their jobs, should still be allowed to mate and have young. They were like the human soldiers of the military. They still deserved to know that they had something to come home to at the end of the day.

Before heading up to bed, I needed a bite to eat, so I went for the kitchen.

I'd been wrong; there was someone awake.

"Maggie?"

The wereleopard looked up from her mug. She smiled tiredly, but her eyes looked up at me through her lashes. Her head was lowered. It was a submissive greeting. "Hey, Jason. How was shift?"

"Boring," I said as I slung my jacket over a chair. "As usual. What are you doing up so early? Everything okay?" I went to the fridge and took out some leftovers that Piper had left for me.

"Yeah, the house is quiet."

Looking over my shoulder, I raised an eyebrow. "That's not what I meant, and you know it." While the food heated in the microwave, I went to sit down across from her. Gentling my tone, I said, "Talk to me. What's up?" I didn't want to use my dominant tone on her. I tried to leave that to Piper since she was the one the pack had flocked to at the start of all this. Not to mention, Maggie was dating my sister, Arden. Didn't want my sister to hunt me down for being alpha male over her girlfriend.

Taking a deep breath, Maggie lowered her eyes and leaned forward on her elbows. Her hands wrapped around her mug. "Arden's worried about Cecily."

That got my attention loud and clear. I sat forward. "What happened? Is she okay?"

Where Arden was my half-sister, Cecily was biologically my full-blooded sister. The three of us shared a close bond because we'd had to raise and protect each other while our parents fought over themselves. Long story short, they were two of the most important females in my life.

"Did Dakota…"

Maggie's head snapped up and she shook her head fervently. "Oh no. No. Dakota would never hurt Cecily."

Dakota was the troublemaker of the pack. He was a weretiger with an attitude problem and spoke fluent sarcasm. But for some reason, my sister loved him. Probably because of his quirks. But I believed Maggie. Cecily was the only one, besides Maggie and Piper, who could keep him in check. Those three females were the only ones he'd listen to.

"Then what's going on?" I asked as I went to get the food before the microwave timed out. Didn't want to wake up everyone, including my three-year-old brother, Liam.

Instead of answering, she looked toward the stairs nervously.

"Don't worry about them," I said as I sat down. "Obviously something's going on and it involves my family."

"Yeah, but it's really between Dakota and Cecily. It's their relationship, Jason."

I sighed. Dammit, she had a point.

"Does Piper, at least, know what's going on?"

Maggie shook her head. "I don't think so. Arden's been with Cecily all night."

I frowned. "Where's Dakota?"

She shrugged. "I don't know. When I went to go talk to him while Arden went to Cecily, I couldn't find him. And he won't answer his phone."

"He'll answer for me," I said before scarfing down my food. The three girls weren't the only ones he would listen to. Sometimes, I could get through to him.

"Jason," Maggie pleaded.

I gave her a pointed look but didn't get any words out.

"Jason?"

Looking up, I saw Cecily in the doorway with Arden behind her, hovering worriedly. Cecily had been crying. Her eyes were red, making the light blue of them pop even more. She was in a pair of cotton shorts and a tank top.

Her eyes teared up again as she looked at me.

Immediately, I was up out of my seat and moving for her. She fell against my chest, crying into my shirt. Wrapping my arms around her, I ran my hands over her back. It wouldn't be any good trying to get her talk. She was emotional and just wanted someone to hold her, comfort her, like most wolves. Over her head, I looked at Arden. She just shook her head sadly. Well, she wasn't angry, which means she didn't believe that Dakota had treated our sister badly.

After a few minutes, Cecily pushed away and rubbed her eyes. "I swear, why do all the men I love make me cry?"

My heart sank as I gave her a look. "I've never made you cry. Have I?"

She pouted. "You stole my doll and threw her in the fireplace."

I snort-laughed and said, "I was three, Cecily. You can't hold that against me forever. I don't even remember doing it." Taking her hand, I led her to a seat at the table while Maggie put a mug of something hot in front of her. "What happened?"

Hunched over the mug, she shook her head. "I don't want to talk about it, Jason. I really don't."

Sighing, I kissed the top of her head and went to grab my jacket again. "Then I'll find Dakota and talk to him."

"Jason, no," Cecily whined.

I rounded on her. "One of you needs to talk to somebody. You'll talk to Arden and Maggie, but Dakota won't talk to anyone. I'm the alpha male of this little pack. I won't hurt him or yell at him. I just would like to know what the hell is going on. Seeing my sister cry because of a guy seriously pisses me off." Toning down, I walked back over to her and knelt down. "Look, I know that your relationship is your business. I do. I'm just going to ask if he wants to talk. That's it. He needs a friend, Cecily."

She gave me a look. "A friend in you?"

"I think I'm insulted. Do you really think I hate him?"

She just sat there with wide eyes and her lips pressed together.

I gave her a deadpan look. "Well, I don't. He lost his mom and father figure. After that, he only really had Maggie. And now you. I don't want him to think he has nobody to go to, Cecily. He gets on my nerves something awful, but it's also like a brotherly affection. And I am Piper's mate; I have a responsibility to everyone in this pack. That includes you and Dakota. You're my sister and you love him."

Wringing her hands in her lap, she looked down and nodded.

Standing up again, I kissed the top of her head again and was heading for the kitchen door when she said something.

"He wants a family."

Stopping in my tracks, I turned around.

Swallowing hard, she looked over her shoulder toward me. "He wants kids, a family."

"And you don't?"

"He's a tiger. I'm a wolf. And even if it were possible to cross species…what if I'm a terrible mother, like ours? What if I find my true mate? I couldn't do that to him. I love Dakota."

For a moment, I just looked at her. Then up at Arden who was looking down at Cecily sympathetically.

"You sound like my mother," Piper's voice said from behind me.

Turning around, I found her at the foot of the stairs. She was still in her pajamas: shorts and a tank top, and her long black hair was frizzy around her shoulders. Padding barefoot toward the kitchen, she smiled up at me. Going up on her toes, she gave me a whisper of a kiss. "Morning, baby."

"Good morning, beautiful." I brushed her hair back and kissed her again, harder this time, but still chaste. This wasn't the time for a make-out session.

She patted my chest before walking over to my sister and just jumping right in. "Before my brother was born, my mom was so scared that she'd be just like her own mother. My grandmother. The woman just left my mom with my then abusive grandfather. She got a divorce and found a man with money to have another family with. My mom was terrified, but recently Bray told me that our mom told him that my dad making her a mom was the best thing he'd ever done for her. She loves us unconditionally. Granted, we're hybrids of wolves. Who knows? Maybe it isn't possible to cross the species barrier, especially one of that magnitude. But I will tell you that you, Cecily, will make a wonderful mother someday. I've seen you with Liam and Cordelia. They love you. As for you and Dakota, you love each other. A lot. Anybody can see that. Adoption definitely wouldn't be out of the question. I'm sure Walker would put feelers out to any packs letting them know we'd be willing to take in orphans. There are options. But first, you need to get over this crap about being your mother, because you're not. You loved her, but you aren't her. I know you. You'd never treat your child the way your mother treated you."

The room went quiet while my sister nodded. I could see she still had her doubts but I could also tell that she was pulling herself together.

Piper looked at me. "Why don't you go find Dakota before he gets into trouble? I'll take care of things here."

I dipped my head. "I'm on it."

Giving her a wink, I turned around and headed out of the house while pulling my phone out of my pocket.

As predicted, it went straight to voicemail. "Dakota, call me back. I know you saw my name on the screen. I'm going to keep calling until I find you. Maggie's worried about you. We all are."

Heading for the compound, I was going to grab some of the other guys to help look. Dakota in a bad mood wasn't a good combination. Lately, he'd been doing well in the attitude department, but after a fight with Cecily, he wouldn't care. He'd cause problems.

But I didn't have to grab the guys. Dakota came onto the path from the woods with a scowl on his face. His orange eyes peered out from his auburn hair. He was holding his phone in his hand.

"What do you want, Jason?" he demanded in an angry but still respectful tone.

"You know why I came to find you. Maggie and Cecily were up when I got home this morning. They're worried about you. You wanna talk about it?"

"You already know, don't you?"

"Cecily told me. She didn't want to, but she told me. I wanna help you, Dakota. Talk to me."

He shoved his hands into the pockets of his jeans and sighed, gaze moving away from me.

Clapping a hand on his shoulder, I said, "Come on. Let's get off the compound."

"Where are we going?"

"Somewhere that isn't the compound."

After jumping into my truck, I drove us toward the cliffs. The weather had been mild for days. Only short bursts of rain showers, but mostly just cloudy. Everything was calm as it had been since the packs had defeated Eleanora and Genevieve. Walker had kept an ear out in the supernatural community for talk of what had happened. Rumors had flown until he sent out an official statement about how Jules had saved us all, how Nessie had saved me and lost her memory because of it. Most of those who had dealt with Eleanora and Genevieve were happy they were gone. Then there were those who had liked and supported them. They weren't happy, but they sure as hell weren't going to come picking a fight, especially after Robert, Genevieve's mate, had declared her rogue and relinquished his tie to her and to their dead son, Melice, who William Black had killed for trying to start a war that Robert hadn't supported. Walker made sure to squash any rumors that would belittle the Blacks or could spark curiosity into having someone come investigate. We didn't need the Volturi coming back to try to start shit. I'd heard that story of how Aro wanted Ness, Alice, and Edward, so I made sure that my guys and I kept a close lookout for any red-eyed vamps in our woods. They'd take the Cullens over my cold, dead body. And they damn sure weren't going to touch Ness. I treated her and Shelby as though they were the mothers I never had; I'd protect them both with my dying breath.

In the car, Dakota was quiet. He was still, and I was almost scared that this trip would be for nothing, that we'd just sit in silence. If that was what he needed, though, we'd do it. But I didn't have to worry; he started talking before we ever got there. He was looking out the window at the passing trees.

"Cecily doesn't want a family. Not with me."

I looked over at him but he was still staring out the window. "Being with you isn't the reason she doesn't want a family."

"Then what is?" he asked, voice devoid of emotion.

"Have you stopped to think that maybe it isn't about you at all?"

Frowning, he pulled away from the window. "What do you mean?"

I sighed and didn't really want to go into this. "She's scared that she'll be like our mom. She was really only our mom because she gave birth to us. The woman only loved us because we were the children of her true mate. Beyond that, we were left on our own almost as soon as we stopped breastfeeding. My dad's eldest son, Vice, raised me."

"But I would never treat our kids the way your dad treated you." He shot a nervous glance at me. "No offense."

I shook my head. "That's not up for debate, Dakota. None of us are worried about that. You'd be a good a dad. Cecily is scared about herself. Our mom was the only mom she ever knew. I have Nessie and Shelby, but Cecily keeps floating back to the idea of our mother. But also…it is about you. She's scared that even if the two of you can have kids together, she'd hurt you if she ever found her true mate. She loves you, man. Hurting you would kill her."

Frowning harder, he sighed. "I thought the true mate thing was rare."

"It is."

"So the fact that a lot of the wolves here who have found their true mates and imprints is rare scares her?"

"Exactly. Typically, you'll only find one or two couples who are true mates. But our people seem to be finding theirs all over the place. My sister is terrified that maybe a wolf will transfer in and will be hers."

Dakota sat there, staring out the windshield. "How do we know I'm not her true mate?"

Well, shit. I sat there in my own stunned silence. A lot of wolves didn't know what finding a true mate felt like. My own version was me just thinking about leaving Piper and getting violently sick to my stomach. I felt tingles whenever I got near her. She still gave me butterflies even three years later. If she ever left me, I'd probably die on the spot. How my dad had lived without my mom was always a mystery to me. But the most definitive tell of a true mate is the urge to mark them.

"Before I answer that, let me ask you something. Do tigers have an equivalent of true mates or imprints?"

He immediately shook his head. "No. In the wild, actual tigers aren't monogamous. They mate and then go their separate ways. They're solitary. That's why a lot of the clans split up. The animals inside them won't stand for any sort of community rule."

"Then why were you in this pack?"

He shrugged. "We helped each other out. We were all looking for someone or something to keep us safe. Then my mom heard about Piper. We felt the call when she shifted. Besides, Nathaniel and I were the only tigers. Mom was just a cat shifter. My dad's genes were more dominant and I came out a tiger. Maggie is a wereleopard. And we have Jen, who's a fox. Other than that, it's wolves."

"Do you love my sister?"

In my peripheral vision, I saw his head snap around so he could glare at me. "Are you fucking kidding me right now? Look, I know I can be an asshole and sarcastic all the time, but I'm not a liar. I will never lie about how I feel. Cecily is the most important thing in my life. If anyone or anything fucks with her, I will end them or it. Period. I've already lost my mom and the only father figure I had. I won't lose her, too. She's the first one who saw past all my bullshit."

Grinning, I pulled the truck over.

"What?" he demanded.

I shook my head. "That's all I needed to hear, man. So let me tell you something, the first and most recognizable hint in the true mate area is if a wolf wants to mark you. The Quileute wolves don't have that. It's just in the Children's gene pool that we want to mark our true mates. My mom and dad did it. Dad hid Mom's marks to protect her. Marking her was an urge he didn't have with Arden's mom. Before Piper, I never felt the urge to mark any of the girls I fucked. That's all it was. I slept with half of Forks and the rez to keep my mind off Piper. The first time I saw her was the same day I went out and lost my virginity because the urge to be near her nearly drove me crazy. I had to find something to occupy my body so my mind couldn't talk the rest of me into going to her. And then we got together. The first time we slept together, I wanted to mark her so bad. She was the one who asked if we could get them to scar. So we did."

Dakota looked over at me, his eyes going from my face to the marks on my neck. "Do you think Cecily feels that way about me? She's never really bitten me when we've…uh…slept together. Just nibbles. But I feel like she's holding back."

Closing my eyes, I pulled a deep breath through my teeth to avoid thinking about him and my sister sleeping together. Blowing it out, I said, "That's something you should ask her. I've never heard of wolves finding their true mate outside of the species, but then I've actually never really known that there were so many species of shifter before meeting all of you. So, to be completely honest, I'd like to say anything is possible."

"Even us having kids?" he asked quietly.

"That, I don't know about. I wish I could give you a definitive answer on that. Nothing is guaranteed, but let me tell you, there are plenty of shifter orphans out there who need people to love and care about them. Walker's daughter, Haleigh, was an orphan. He and Christa took her in when he was just eighteen."

"And that's why Ryell feels so much pressure to take over."

I nodded. "She doesn't need to worry, though. She's got all of us to help her. But the point is, if you and Cecily can work past the true mate thing, Walker will put ears out for any packs who have orphans who need adopting. Shifters die all the time. Our pack isn't traditional. We don't have skirmishes and fights for dominance. But other packs are still barbaric and young lose their parents all the time. You have options, Dakota. But first, you really need to talk to her about the true mate issue. I don't foresee an influx of wolves anytime soon."

He looked at me with hopelessness, like he'd already lost the fight. "But what if she doesn't go for that?"

"If you really want to be with her, you have to convince her that you love her more than the mere thought of a true mate. And, if you feel this way, tell her that if the day comes that her mate does show up, that you will deal with it together. That's all you can do is give her assurances. She loves you and she wants to find every reason to push you away now since one of you decided to bring up having a family. It's a big decision, and she's right to be scared of tearing a family with you apart in the event her mate does show up. And this is all _if_ you aren't her mate to begin with."

The weretiger sighed. "You're right. As usual. Should we go back? I have a female to talk to."

Firing the truck back up, I chuckled. "I'm not always right, Dakota. I just know the situation and my sister. And despite what you might think, I do care about you. You're one of mine now. I take my responsibility as Piper's mate seriously. Her pack is mine. If you don't feel you can go to anyone, you can come to me. I know what it's like to lose my family, to feel like I don't belong. I was a mean bastard before Piper straightened me out. Don't think we haven't noticed the wonders Cecily has worked on you."

He shrugged. "I love her. Giving you a hard time, while fun, would upset her. She loves you something fierce, Jason. She and Arden both would follow you into Hell."

I glanced at him and felt the need to shift in my seat. My sisters knew I'd do anything for them. They and Liam were the only family I had left of blood relation. I knew my sisters were best friends and do anything for each other but I had no idea how they truly felt about me. Not to mention, I wasn't completely comfortable with the thought of them protecting me. I was the male, they the females. It was sexist as hell but there it was. It was even hard to deal with letting Piper protect me, but she'd kick my ass herself if I didn't.

"They could try, but I wouldn't let them. If there was a choice between me and you, Cecily would choose you, and I'd be okay with that."

I could feel his surprise. "Really?"

"Really. She, Arden, and I need other people than each other. Arden has Maggie, and I have Piper and my home pack. Cecily needs you."

Dakota nodded while I drove us back toward the compound. The woods were calm, the road nearly deserted. Rain had started to patter down. It wasn't until we were parked and out of the truck that I realized something was wrong. There was some yelling at Walker's front door and a mass of writhing bodies in the direction of the cabins.

"What the hell?" Dakota said under his breath.

"I smell blood," I said.

Through the commotion at the cabins, I caught a glimpse of Dox and Ash. And then I looked at Walker's house. Ryell was fighting her parents to get off the porch.

"Aw, shit," I spat and started running.

It took Dakota seconds to catch up with me. "What? What is it?"

"Ryell's peaking in her cycle. They made an agreement to have their first time together at the lowest point of the cycle. It seems like they want to break that agreement."

Beside me, Dakota paled. "They'll tear each other apart."

"Exactly. Dox didn't want to hurt her."

"Then you take Dox. I'll help with Rye." Then he was taking off for Walker's house.

I was impressed that he wanted to help at all. Just another sign of his change. Shaking my head, I ran for the crowd of enforcers around Dox, trying to keep him from getting to Ryell. Dox was like a bull seeing red. He was bigger than his twin, broader and more dominant. But he was also the son of the Alpha. Nobody wanted to risk hurting him so they were just corralling him, pushing him around.

I pushed through all of them until I was standing in front of him. His full focus was on Walker's house behind us. I doubted he even saw any of us. The scent of lust and mating was pouring from him. The blood was from my guys. They were bleeding from scratches and cuts from holding him back

"What happened?" I asked Ash, who was standing close. But I kept my eyes on Dox.

Ash shook his head as Dox growled, flashing fangs. "We heard Ryell scream and Dox was out the door. He's been irate all day. I didn't know what was wrong with him. At least, not until I saw Ryell on the porch looking just as crazed."

I shook my head. "We've gotta get him out of here. Dakota is helping with Ryell. He'll get her back inside."

"What do we do?" Ash asked. "Knocking him out won't keep him out long. And we'd all be pissed if someone killed him."

"Nobody's gonna kill anybody. Not today." Trying to stay calm, I looked around. Dox was a danger right now, and Ash was right. Knocking him out wouldn't keep him down for long. But we didn't need that long, not if we could get him to the cells. "Elias," I called.

A moment later, my second in command was beside me. "What do you need?"

"Keep the guys steady. Don't interfere until I say."

He nodded and went to push them back but kept them all in a circle.

I looked at Ash. "You should probably step back."

He looked wary, but did as I said.

Taking a deep breath, I popped my neck. Time to antagonize the bull. Loosening my shoulders, I whispered, "Alright, Govain. You got this." Then I prayed that he wouldn't beat the hell out of me. A male like Dox hyped up on hormones was not a force to be reckoned with. Pissing him off could cause me serious damage.

Another deep breath and then I was stepping in front of him.

When he didn't notice, I snapped my fingers in his face. "Hey, not today, man. Go home."

Dox's gaze slid to me and I knew I was fucked. "She's my female," he growled.

"Nobody's denying that, but you aren't getting her naked today, Dox. Not gonna happen."

His lips lifted in a snarl as he growled.

"You heard me. You don't want to hurt her, remember? You made that little plan."

"She's mine. I want what's mine."

I shook my head and held my hands out. "Are you hearing yourself? You're saying you don't care if you hurt her as long as you get her underneath you. Dox, you will tear each other apart. Come on, man. Don't make me hurt you."

Those eyes flashed and his fists clenched. "You really think you can keep me from her?"

My heart thundered and my breathing sped up. "A guy's gotta try, right? You wouldn't be this crazed if you would have just stayed off the compound like you normally do. Now, I have to keep you from doing something stupid like you asked me to. You're not thinking straight. The hormones are crushing your common sense. Let's just get you back to your place and get you calmed dow-,"

I didn't get to finish that because the bastard punched me in the face. My head snapped around, blood flying from my mouth.

"Jesus Christ," I whispered.

"Jason?!"

"Dammit!" I shouted. "Keep her back!"

Of course, Piper would come out just in time to see Dox hit me.

Planting my hands on my knees, I nodded as I spit blood. Straightening up, I said, "That was a good hit. I wasn't ready for it."

Then I punched him back as soon as I stopped talking. No need for him to be prepared. But he came back much faster than I intended. It was the hormones. So I just dove in, swinging and kicking. We were evenly matched in training, strength, and speed. This was a male determined to get to his female who was in heat. I had to find a way to knock him the fuck out so we could get him to a cell.

After a particularly vicious hit, I saw the boys start to converge. I was surprised my guts were still in my body. He'd gotten my stomach deep with those claws.

I held my free hand out. The other was holding my stomach. "No. I'm the only one who touches him." Didn't want them to get in trouble in case Jacob got pissed about the amount of blood his son was wearing.

"What are you trying to do?" Ash asked from where he was standing to my left.

"I just need to knock him out long enough."

Ash nodded and moved forward. "Dox," he said. "You know he's right. You need to calm down."

Dox whirled on him, giving me his back. Ash was ready for the swing and ducked. He came up and put his fist into Dox's gut, knocking the wind out of him. I took my chance to jump him from behind, locking the inside of my elbow just above his Adam's apple. Gripping my wrist, I pulled, putting pressure on the windpipe.

"Come on, you asshole," I said through gritted teeth. "Go down."

The pain in my body was eating up my strength and little black dots were covering my vision.

"Don't kill him," Ash said.

Dox's claws were ripping at my arms, shredding skin and muscle. But I could feel the fight going out of him as I applied more pressure. Finally, the fight completely left him and he became dead weight. Despite wanting to drop him, I didn't. I managed to lay him down before stumbling back. Ash grabbed me before I could fall.

"Elias, get him into a cell. He won't be out long. Nobody is to go in or out of the cell until Ryell has passed her peak. Am I understood?"

The man nodded.

"I mean it. Not even Ness and Jake are allowed inside the cell. If he gets out before her time is over, we're all in deep shit."

Elias nodded again. He picked out a couple guys to help him carry Dox's dead weight to the cells as fast as they could.

"You okay, man?" Ash asked as he put my arm over his shoulders.

I took a second to think about this. "I might pass out. If I do, I'm sorry."

"No worries. Let's get you to Piper."

Turned out that Piper was closer than we thought. "Get him to the house," she said as she came to my other side to wrap that arm over her shoulders.

And that was the last thing I remembered before passing out.

 **DakotaPOV**

While Jason ran for his enforcers, I booked it for the alpha's house. Ryell was putting up one hell of a fight to get to Dox. I could smell the mating hormones pouring off of her. She was all claws and fangs as she fought her dad. Christa wasn't having much luck. There were deep furrows on her chest and stomach and arms. Walker had it worse, but he could take more. He had more power and could heal faster.

I bounded up the steps to his side. "Need some help?"

Walker did a double take. "Dakota?"

"Yeah, yeah. Don't get too surprised. Apparently love has changed me. Now what do you say we get her back inside?"

"Don't hurt my kid, Dakota."

I tilted my head. "I won't if she won't. She hits first, all bets are off. I'm not getting my eye sliced out just because she isn't getting laid."

He gave me a look before shrugging. "Fair enough." He lowered his voice. "I'll get her attention. See if you can get behind her and grab her."

"Whatever you say, papa bear."

He gave me a withering look before turning toward his daughter again. "Ryell, honey, this isn't how you want this."

Rye tilted her head, her strawberry hair falling over her face. Her normally sherry eyes were a bright amber.

While she focused her attention on him, I slowly inched around on the porch.

Rye growled, but Christa brought her attention to her. "Baby, please. You'll hurt yourself."

I hotfooted it around Rye while her back was to me. Her breathing was heavy and full of growling. I wanted to wait and see if she'd calm down. It would be easier to drag her inside if her guard was down when I first got a hold of her.

They kept talking to her as I made a plan in my head to get her inside. It wouldn't be easy, even with the front door open. No matter what, she'd fight the moment I locked my arms around her. I'd dealt with this a couple of times already in my life. My older sister had been one of them.

Shaking my head, I focused on the girl in front of me. Her shoulders had loosened, losing some of the tension.

Taking a deep breath, I lunged for her, wrapping my arms around her torso, pinning her arms to her sides. Of course, the moment she realized that someone other than Dox was touching her, she lost her shit. Growling and snarling, she kept rearing back to try to bite me or butt me in the face. Ignoring it all as best I could, I dragged her back toward the front door. Walker and Christa followed me in, closing the door behind them. Rye threw her head back and cracked my cheek. I felt the bone give under the force and knew it would take a while to heal that, even with being a shifter. And even though I had her arms under control, she could still bend her elbows. Her claws came up to sink deep into my arms as she thrashed.

Blood was a heavy scent in the air as mine flowed over my arms and onto her, not that she cared.

Gritting my teeth, I looked back at the stairs. This was going to suck getting her up to her room.

Unless…

"Do you have the drugs?"

They both shared a look and then glared at me.

"Drugs?" Christa said with disgust. "What drugs?"

My eyes bugged for a second before I growled. "The drugs to knock her out." When they stared at me blankly, I cursed. Of course not. Of course they wouldn't drug their precious little girl. But unfortunately, this precious little girl would rip us apart if she could. And I didn't feel like dying today.

"Oh please don't let me die for this," I muttered before letting her go and pushing her away from me.

"What the hell are you doing?!" Walker shouted.

Taking a fighting stance, I yelled, "Hey, Rye!"

She swirled on me in a flash of strawberry hair and blood.

And as she darted for me, I punched her in the face with everything I had.

She dropped like a stone in the river. Thank fuck.

"Ryell!" Christa yelled and knelt by her daughter.

Walker was just blinking down at the still form of his kid. "You just hit my kid."

Swallowing hard, I nodded. The silence was enough to stun anybody. "Yep," I said, popping the end of the word.

"I feel like I should be pissed."

I looked up at him. "Are you?"

He shook his head for a moment before turning it to a nod. And then he shrugged. "You did what you had to, I guess."

"Damn straight, I did."

Christa lifted her head to glare at me. "You could be a little less proud of yourself, Dakota. You could have seriously hurt her."

Scoffing, I shook my head. "Are you kidding me? I just saved us all from getting even bloodier. Not to mention saved you loads of money in redecorating charges. She would have torn this place apart after working her magic on us. And on that note, what the hell are you guys thinking by not drugging her? Her peak is the whole reason Jason is out there getting sliced and diced by Dox."

Walker sighed. "She didn't want the drugs."

For the second time that day, my eyes bugged out. "Who fucking cares?! Do you see what she did to you? To me? Those hormones aren't just about sex. It's about mating and it's not to be taken lightly like she's just a lusty teenager. Packs and communities all over the world have ways of knocking out their alpha females when they peak, especially if they're single. Some females have young up to their eyeballs because nobody could give a damn to help them. As far as I'm concerned, all of us are very lucky that Rye has a pack. She's lucky she has people who care about her enough to keep her back. If she and Dox would have made it together this time, one of them could have died."

 _Like my sister,_ I thought.

Walker and Christa just stared at me as I breathed heavy and angrily. I couldn't stand people who took this kind of thing lightly. Females more than males died because of the mating hormones all the time. It was sick negligence to let a poor female go through something like that.

Moving past them, I went for the door. "I'm gonna leave you two to clean up the mess. I need to go check on my pack leader."

Once outside, I took a deep breath of the cold air and tried to get Aisline out of my mind.

Luckily, on my way toward our pack cabin, I ran into Elias. He was coming from the cells.

"Hey. Where's Jason?"

For a moment, he looked surprised before dipping his head in acknowledgement. "Ash and Piper took him back to the cabin. She's probably healing him as we speak."

Damn. He must have really gotten hurt if Piper had to heal him. She didn't whip those powers out for just cuts and scrapes.

I looked over his shoulder. "Dox in a cell?"

He nodded. "Nobody goes in or out of that cell."

I nodded. At least Jason was taking this seriously. "Good. Let's keep it that way. I just knocked Rye out. Walker and Christa are taking care of her now, but they might need a couple guys at the door."

The big man gave me a look like he couldn't believe that I'd hit Rye or that I was giving him an order. "You knocked her out?"

"Yep. They wouldn't drug her and I couldn't get her up the stairs." I held my still bleeding arms up. He winced. "I don't know how long she'll be out, but she's vicious this time around. I won't give you an order because that's not my job. But a suggestion would be to have a couple guys on the place just in case."

He stared for just a moment longer before nodding. "You're probably right. I'll see to it."

"Good. I'll let Jason know."

And then I was running off for the cabin. I was almost to the front door when it opened and Cecily came out.

My heart skipped before thundering in my chest. She looked tired. Still in her pajamas, her golden hair down around her shoulders. But her blue eyes were first worried, then relieved as she saw me, then worried again as she took in the blood.

"Dakota!"

When she ran for me, I felt a relief so sweet that nothing else mattered.

I caught her up in my arms and buried my face in her neck, the scent of her hair drowning out the scent of blood and sweat.

"Are you okay?" she said, voice muffled against my throat. "When they brought Jason back without you, I was so worried."

My arms tightened around her. "It's okay. I'm fine. I was dealing with Rye."

When she pulled back, I saw the tear tracks on her face as her fingers traced the black stripes on my face. "I'm so sorry, Dakota. I love you."

I gripped her wrists. "It's okay. We'll talk about it later. How's Jason?"

For a moment, she looked hurt and I realized my mistake. She shook her head a little. "Piper's fixing him up," she said as she started to pull away.

I held tight to her hands. "Hey." When she looked up at me, I said, "I love you, too."

The tension in her shoulders relaxed as she smiled. Then she looked down at my arms. "Oh my God. We need to get you to Piper. These look really bad, Dakota."

"They're fine," I assured her. "I'm okay."

"They are _not_ fine. I can see bone and muscle. They need to be cleaned. Don't want you getting an infection." Turning around with my hand still in hers, she started pulling me toward the house.

Grinning, I yanked her to a stop. "Babe, I'm a shapeshifter. I can't get an infection."

Cecily glared at me over her shoulder. "You won't be saying that when your arms fall off. And I'll be pissed if that happens. How else are you supposed to hold me at night? Now get your ass in this house."

Rolling my eyes, I let her pull me inside.

Maggie was waiting at the door to the living room, her eyes worried. "Dakota," she said in relief. "Are you alright?"

When I opened my mouth to answer, Cecily steamrolled right over me. "No, he is not. His arms are sliced open." She took a deep breath. "If I didn't like Ryell so much, I'd want to bash her face in."

A grin spread my lips. I loved how fiercely protective she was of me even though I could take care of myself. Even Maggie had never had this level of love for me. She'd tolerated me all these years. But Cecily truly did love me. I could see it in the way she'd hold onto me, talk to me, even look at me. She was one of those females who could take care of herself but at the end of the day, she was still a woman. She still needed the affection of her man to help her sleep at night. And I was damned proud to be that man. Over the years, she'd taught me about love and family. She taught me that it's okay to feel hurt and lost, to be a man and still need to cry even if in private.

I looked at Maggie. "Hey, Maggs. I'll be okay as soon I get these taken care of. Is Piper still with Jason?"

She was about to answer when the queen herself came down the stairs. "He's healed and still passed out." Piper looked exhausted as she came over to us. But she was still smiling. "He woke enough to tell me what you did. We're very proud of you, Dakota. You've come a long way."

I struggled not to flush as I glanced at Cecily. "Yeah, well…"

Cecily smiled but lifted my arm with our entwined hands. "Can you fix him before he bleeds everywhere?"

Piper's brows shot up. "Yeah, sure. Let's go into the kitchen. Jen will have a heart attack if we ruin this rug."

We all trooped into the kitchen where Cecily shoved me into a chair and then hovered.

"Babe, really-,"

She held up a finger. "If you say you're okay one more time, I'll punch that pretty face of yours. Now, what can I do? Do you need anything?"

Piper was sitting opposite of me bent over my arms. She looked up at me from under her lids.

Quickly, I thought of something for Cecily to do. Piper hated for anyone to hover.

"Actually, I am pretty hungry. I haven't eaten at all today."

Cecily sighed. "Finally. Something I can do. Maggie, you wanna help me make lunch for everyone?"

Maggs smiled. "I'd love to."

Piper gave me a smile and mouthed "thank you" before closing her eyes.

It didn't take long until I felt her energy mingle with mine. Her aura smoothed over my arms like cool water on a hot day. I could feel the bleeding slow then stop. It was wild as hell to feel my arm start to heal. The muscles and tissue knitted back over my bones. Veins sealed up even more. And then last was the skin. Even though I was watching, it was like watching a flower bloom. You could stare at it all day long and it wouldn't move, but the one second you looked away, it had progressed even more. In a matter of moments, the wounds were gone like they'd never been there at all.

Lifting my arms, I flexed my hands. "Damn. That's never not surprising. Thanks, Piper."

She smiled tiredly. "You're welcome."

In her seat, she leaned as her eyes closed.

I reached out. "Hey, are you okay? Piper?"

And then she slumped forward.

"Piper!"

In a rush, I caught her up in my arms.

"Is she okay?" Maggie asked.

"She's fine. Just exhausted herself. I'm gonna go put her up with Jason."

When I made it to their bedroom, it took some maneuvering to get the door open, but I managed. Jason was passed out on the bed in a pair of boxers. His wounds were healed up. He was snoring lightly with a hand resting on his chest, the other arm reaching out to Piper's side of the bed. Putting a knee on the bed, I managed to nudge his arm over enough that I could lay Piper down without his arm in her back. Once I got her situated, I pulled the sheet up over them and quietly left.

Cecily was waiting for me in the hallway.

"They okay?" she asked.

"Yeah. Just need a little rest is all."

She nodded then took my hand. "Can we talk now?"

"Sure."

She led me by the hand down the hall to our room. Because she was Jason's sister, we had a room on the same hall as our pack leader. And I was still surprised that Cecily and I had a room together.

She let me go into the room ahead of her so she could close the door and lean back against it. She let out a heavy breath. "What a day."

I laughed. "Yeah, no kidding."

We smiled at each other but hers didn't last long before it slipped.

"Dakota, I'm so sorry about suggesting we split. I'm sorry I made you think that I don't want a family with you. That's not my fear at all. I'd love nothing more than to have kids with you, adopted or otherwise. I love you more than I ever thought I could love anyone or anything, and I am so scared that I'm going to hurt you."

For a long moment, I just studied her. There was pain and fear in her eyes as she pleaded with me to understand. And I did, but my love for her far outweighed that fear.

Taking a deep breath, I sat on the edge of our bed. So many nights together in it. Laughing, fighting, making love. Reaching out, I smoothed my hand over the sheets where she normally slept. "Cecily, I understand your fear. I get it. That whole true mate bullshit…it's scary stuff." I looked up and met her gaze again. "Are you sure I'm not your true mate?"

She looked at me for only a moment before looking away. "I really don't know."

"Do you have the urge to mark me?"

Her lip trembled as the tears started to trip down her cheeks. "All I know is that I want to. So badly. But I can't tell if that's just because I love you. After my mother died, I swore to myself that I would never love someone like that again, and then you came along, making me break my promise to myself. I want you with me always. I hate it when you're away from me where I can't easily find or see you." Then she looked at me, her eyes hard and fierce. "You're mine, Dakota. True mate or not, I cannot lose you. I wouldn't survive that kind of pain again. I barely did when she died."

Shooting up from the bed, I crossed the room in two strides and took her face in my hands, swiping the tears away. "Then you won't lose me. I don't care if your true mate does come sniffing around. If that time ever comes, we will deal with it. _Together._ I won't leave you, Cecily. Do you hear me? I. Will. Never. Leave. You." We held gazes for a long time, her tears still coming, making her blue eyes shine. I wiped them away as best I could with my thumbs. "If you want to mark me, then do it."

She frowned. "But you're a tiger. I thought you didn't want monogamy?"

I swallowed hard because this was something I'd already thought about. Cheating was a big fear I had. Hurting her would kill me. "I didn't think I did either. But sometimes, in the wild, two tigers will reconnect over and over if they stay in the same territories. I'm not leaving this pack and I know you'd never leave what's left of your family. We're staying in the same territory. And just the thought of sleeping with another female makes me sick. You, my mate, are monogamous and, therefore, so am I. You're my female up until the moment you tell me you don't want me anymore."

She was shaking her head before I ever finished the sentence, her face getting pushed closer to mine as she stood on her toes. "Never," she whispered. "I'll never not want you."

"Then I'm yours. We'll deal with the true mate crap if it ever comes up. Until then, I want to love you in that bed every night. I want to talk about a family, maybe a mating of some sort. You're all I want, Cecily."

Lip trembling again, she moved forward to wrap her arms around my torso, burying her face in my chest. I wrapped my arms around her, holding her tightly against me. Before her, I was all about the females and making notches in my belt. But the moment I caught some of Cecily's sass and her refusal to give up on me, I couldn't deny that I wanted to be a one woman kind of male. It looked like all that I got of my dad was the tiger shape. Everything else was my mother. She'd been one to sleep around until she found that one male to calm her down and make her see the world a different way. That had been Nathaniel.

A knock on the door interrupted us.

It was Arden. She poked her head inside. "Sorry, but Jacob is outside. He wants to talk to Jason."

I frowned. "He's passed out and so is Piper."

She grinned. "I know. I told him you were in charge until they're up."

Cecily pulled back as my brows shot up. "Why would you do that?"

Arden shrugged. "Because Maggie has officially stepped down as second in command. I figured that after today, having Jason's back and taking care of Piper, you were the best fit for second for right now. Not to mention, you were there. You can explain what happened."

"I wasn't there for the beat down, but Ash was."

"He went back to his place after checking on Dox."

I nodded, swallowing the surprise. For the moment, the alpha couple was down and Arden had nominated me. Didn't want to disappoint her because that would disappoint Cecily.

I shook my head; I was so whipped. Sighing, I said, "Okay, go get him and bring him here. He'll be able to answer Jake's questions clearly."

She nodded and winked. "You got it." Then she was gone.

Cecily looked up at me. "Second? That's…that's big, Dakota."

I gave her a look. "You don't say?"

Her expression deadpanned. "Alright, smartass."

I smirked. "I can't completely get rid of it. You'd miss it."

Those pretty eyes rolled in exasperation. "You are such a pain in the ass."

Waggling my eyebrows, I said, "Not at the moment but let me get you naked and I could change that for you."

She sneered. " _That_ isn't painful, asshat. And I wouldn't want Jacob to come find us like that. Seriously, you need to go talk to him."

My turn to roll my eyes. "Yeah, yeah."

Taking her by the hand, I led her out of the room and back down the stairs. Jason and Piper were still out. Jen was closing their door after having just checked on them. She nodded when I gave her questioning look. Jen was an older fox shifter female. Our group had found her in our travels through the woods. She'd been caught in a bear trap and was nearly dead from starvation and blood loss from trying to gnaw her leg off. To this day, she still walked with a limp as though there was nerve damage. She was quiet but caring, always doing for others before herself.

Downstairs, Jacob and Nessie Black were waiting. Ness looked anxious but Jacob looked pissed. Whether he knew it or not, he gave off wave after wave of angry energy. And it definitely had the taste of royalty to it.

Swallowing hard, I stepped up and lifted my chin. "Jason and Piper are out, and Arden has gone to get Ash."

Jacob glared at me as he pointed behind him in the general direction of the cells. "Why the hell is my son in one of those cells looking like he just went ten rounds with a cement brick?"

Beside me, Cecily growled low.

Jacob's brows shot up as he looked at her.

I squeezed her hand, and she cleared her throat but still glared at him.

"It's been a rough morning," I said, bringing his attention back to me.

"What happened?" Nessie asked in a gentler tone.

Because she was being the reasonable one, I made a dick move and turned to give her my full attention, letting Jacob know his attitude was unappreciated. "Rye hit her peak today and Dox didn't get off the compound in time. Jason and I went off the compound only to come back to find the two trying to get to each other. Dox was pretty vicious. He tore up the enforcers who were trying to keep him away from Rye. And then Jason got involved while I went to go help Walker and Christa with Ryell. I don't know exactly what went down between Jason and Dox but it was bad. Jason had to be brought back to be healed by Piper. When I came back, he was already passed out. Piper healed me up and then did a fainting spell herself. I'm sure that when she wakes up, she'll be happy to heal Dox up. Right now, she needs to rest. As for why he's in a cell, it's the best place for him until Rye's peak has passed. He'll tear anyone apart to get to her, and then they'll tear each other apart and it won't be pretty. One or both of them could die from that kind of meeting."

Nessie's expression said she didn't want to believe me, but she nodded. "It's that bad?"

"Between the two of them, yes. I haven't seen anything like it in a long time. But because they've put off being together for so many cycles, the hormones are building up and getting worse. Not to mention, Walker and Christa refused to drug her so I had to knock her out."

Nessie gasped while Jacob stared at me.

"I'll take any consequences for that when Dox wakes up, but I did what I had to in order to keep Ryell from painting the house red. Once she and Dox have sex, this shouldn't happen again."

Jacob gave me a look. "No, please don't sugarcoat it. It's not like we're talking about their virginity or anything."

I narrowed my eyes at him. "The only animal I know of who cares about stuff like that is humans." I stepped up close to him. "If they go anymore cycles without sex, the two of them alone could bring down this entire compound. They could kill anyone who gets in their way. So excuse me if we born shifters don't give a damn about virginity and refuse to sugarcoat how dire the situation of mating can be. Because in her time of heat, Rye needs Dox to be the most vicious male in order to get inside her before another male does, that's exactly what he's going to be because of his imprint to her. He will be whatever she needs him to be. The hormones could turn him into a killer until he gives her what she needs from him, and as much as I'd like to be romantic, it's not him making love to her. It's a marathon session of fucking. That's what it will turn into even if they make it the next couple days to the lowest point of her cycle. So for the love of all that is holy, don't interrupt them when it happens."

When I stopped talking, I realized that everybody in the house had come to watch and listen. And I realized that they were all gaping at me.

I rolled my eyes. "Someone had to say it. Why not the cocky weretiger?"

Behind Jacob, the front door opened. When Arden and Ash walked in, their brows went up in unison.

"What'd we miss?" Ash said.

 **AshPOV**

The foyer was full of shocked shifters and Dakota was at the center of them looking irritated. Over the years, he'd grown up a lot, but the old him still made appearances every now and then depending on his mood. Apparently, my dad had pissed him off.

Before anyone else could say anything, Maggie showed up in the doorway to the dining room. "Lunch is ready."

I stepped forward. "Why don't we go sit down and calm down? We can eat and talk."

Reaching out, I took Mom's hand and led her to the dining room. I thanked Maggie as we passed her. On the table, there was a spread of different pastas and lasagna. She'd been busy, but then they also had a dream kitchen in this mansion of a cabin. She could cook multiple pans of stuff at once. We all sat at the massive table and began handing out the food as we calmed down. Dad still shot Dakota looks but they weren't as angry as they had been moments ago.

After everybody had food, Dad leaned forward on his elbows to look at me. "What happened today?"

I took a deep breath and wiped my mouth with a napkin. "Well, let me start from the beginning. This morning, before anything happened, I noticed that Dox was acting weird. None of us had kept track of Rye for some reason. I hate to say that we forgot but we kind of did. Lately when she's been peaking, we've sent Dox off the compound. I didn't think anything of it until he started acting irate. He wouldn't calm down. It was like he had this nervous twitch and couldn't keep still. He went out for a walk. When he didn't come back, I found him out at the edge of the woods surrounded by enforcers. His claws were out and he wasn't sane, Dad. Some of the enforcers were already sliced up, but none of them wanted to hurt him because of who he is. I saw Rye on the porch of her place with Walker and Christa trying to keep her contained. But it made things worse. Dox was agitated. And that's when Jason showed up. He ordered the enforcers not to touch Dox; only he was allowed to. Probably because he knew what it would have to come down to. Jason tried talking Dox down, but it was like Dox's wolf had taken over. Then the beat down commenced. Jason knocked him out and ordered Elias to take him to a cell until Rye's peak passed. Nobody goes in or out of the cell. I don't know Dakota's end of things because he went to help with Rye, but Piper and I got Jason back here. He was in pretty bad shape. Dox really did a number on him."

The room went quiet as I stopped talking.

Dad chewed the bite he'd taken and nodded. "Okay. We'll get him back home-,"

"No."

With raised brows we all looked at Dakota, who just kept eating.

"Excuse me?" Dad said.

The weretiger looked up through his auburn hair. "You're excused."

Dad growled. "Don't be a smartass. You can't tell me I can't take my own son home."

Sitting straight, Dakota wiped his mouth. "Actually, I can. I'm acting pack leader since Arden nominated me as second in command. Jason and Piper are out for the count. I've already told you how dangerous Dox is right now, and Jason gave an order to _his_ enforcers. Nobody, specifically including the two of you, is allowed inside that cell. The only person who can override _that_ order is Walker seeing as how I won't override it because I agree with Jason. And do you really think Walker will do that? Do you really think he'll risk his people just because you don't want to have to manhandle and probably hurt your precious son? Not to mention the hormones have their hold on him. No matter where you take him, he'll fight to get back to Rye. So, remind me again, do you _have_ a place strong enough to hold him, stronger than those cells?"

When he was finished, he watched Dad expectantly.

Dad growled and glared. "I'm getting tired of you."

Dakota snorted. "You're not my pack leader so I really don't care. I'll probably get reprimanded by Jason later, but I'll risk it. Despite what you think, I'm looking out for you and your people. For everyone." Getting serious, he moved his plate aside and leaned on his elbows. "Look, Jacob. I know you want to take care of your son. I know you're a good father. Right now, I need you to look at me the way you see Jason. I want you to understand that underneath the sarcasm I really do care. This is my home now, and I recognize that you were here first. But you don't understand this stuff the way I do."

He paused after that for so long that I thought he was done talking.

We all went back to eating and talking in low tones. Dad and I shared a couple looks. I glanced at Dakota consideringly before nodding at Dad.

"I lost my sister," Dakota said after a few minutes.

We all looked at him.

He was pushing the food around his plate with his fork and not looking at any of us.

"Dakota?" Mom asked gently when he didn't continue.

I saw the tiger swallow hard.

"I lost my sister to the mating cycle," he said. "She was older than me. For a couple years, Mom would drug her or knock her out to lock her away. She didn't want my sister to sleep around and end up with a gaggle of young. Mom didn't really understand tigers or the mating cycle at that time. She wasn't dominant enough for her cycle to affect her that way. Aisline's dad wasn't mine, but he'd still been a tiger shifter. My mom had a type. Aisline was the daughter of a very dominant male, and she was dominant, so at the peak of her cycle, the males would come running at the call. One month, Mom didn't give the shot right and Aisline woke up early without us realizing it. She escaped." He lifted his eyes to Dad. "The night she lost her _virginity,_ she was also killed by the male in his frenzy to get inside her. When we found her, she was sliced to ribbons while the guy was still rutting on top of her, not even realizing she was dead."

In disgust, Mom dropped her fork and put her hand to her mouth. I had to admit that I didn't feel that great either after that.

Dakota barely glanced at us before he was looking back at my dad. "I don't take this lightly, Jacob. I was twelve when I saw the scene I just painted for you. _Twelve_. Aisline was the same age as Rye is now. I helped Jason today because I didn't want to see Ryell and Dox end up that way. I care about them, too. And nobody should have to see their children like that. Mom wasn't the same after Aisline. I wouldn't wish that on anyone. So Dox stays in the cell. If you try to get into that cell or try to let him out, I will stop you."

The two of them stared at each other for a long time before Dad gave in and nodded. "Dox will stay."

Dakota nodded. "Thank you."

Behind Dad, Jason appeared in the doorway. He looked exhausted but he was standing.

"Dakota," he said, "why don't you go for a run? Shift. You'll feel better."

Dakota looked up at his pack leader. I could see him debate either arguing or being a smartass. But in the end, he surprised us all by nodding and standing up. It was also no surprise that Cecily stood up with him.

But before they left, Jason said, "My second is right. Dox is dangerous. He stays."

Dakota whipped around in shock.

Jason nodded. "I think you've earned it. Now earn to keep it."

Dakota gave a curt nod before leading Cecily out by the hand.

Jason looked at me. "Thanks for dragging me back here. I appreciate it."

I nodded. "You're welcome. Elias was taking care of Dox. I couldn't just leave you there."

"Maybe we should go check on him," Mom said.

Arden and I shared a look. She shrugged and shook her head.

"That's not the best idea, Mom."

She frowned. "Why?"

"Ah, well," I said. "Arden and I went to check on him just before we came here. That's what took us so long. He's awake, but he's, uh…well, let's just say that he's sorting himself out. And probably going to be doing it for a while given the hormones."

Everybody at the table had that expression of "ew" on their face.

Mom's eyebrows went up. "Ah."

"We'll check on him later," Dad said with a smirk.

"It'll do him some good," Jason said as he sat down in Dakota's seat. "Not pleasant to think about but it'll help clear his head." He popped a bite of pasta into his mouth as he shrugged.

"I guess I should say thank you," Dad said. "Sounds like you and Dakota smoothed a bad situation."

"I was doing my job," Jason answered. "I'm head enforcer. But more than that, Dox and Ryell are family to me. I don't want them hurt or, worse, to hurt each other. Neither would be able to handle it if they hurt the other. I won't let that happen. And neither will Dakota. I'm surprised he even told you that story."

"It's…well, I do feel worse for him," Mom said.

"Don't," Jason suggested. "He hates sympathy. He didn't tell it to make you feel sorry for him. He did it because he wanted you to know how dangerous the mating hormones can be. And he's also right that the level of violence between Rye and Dox hasn't been around for a while. It might have to do with the fact that she's a hybrid and the amount of power she gained from her first shift. It would explain why Haleigh didn't go through this. Her birth parents were more than likely betas."

"Well," Mom said as she set her napkin on the table. "This has been a truly stressful and eventful day. All I can say is that I'm thankful nobody was seriously injured and that my son has been taken care of. The sooner this is over, the sooner I'll sleep better at night."

"Oh, really?" Dad said with amusement. "You really want to know that your son is having mindless sex?"

Standing up, she gave him a look. "Better having sex than killing people, Jake. Now come on. Let's leave them in peace. We've already eaten their food."

Smiling, Jason stood up and went to hug her. "Don't worry about it. You and Jacob are always welcome to come raid our cupboards."

Mom smiled and hugged him back. "You're a good man, Jason. Thank you for taking care of everyone."

"My job and my pleasure. If there's anything my dad taught me, it was how to keep the people I love safe."

She patted his cheek before kissing it. Then she looked at me. "Dinner tomorrow night, right? I feel like I haven't seen my kids in ages."

I grinned. "Cole and I will be there. Not sure about Dox yet, but I'll keep an eye on him. Will and Jules will be there, too. I've already talked to them." Standing up, I said, "Let me put this plate up and I'll walk out with you guys."

Maggie waved me away. "Don't worry about it. I'll grab it."

"You sure?"

She nodded and smiled. "Yeah. It's cool."

"Thanks."

I walked around and met my parents at the door.

"Need a lift home?" Dad asked.

I shook my head. "The house isn't far."

"Good deal. We'll see you tomorrow." He pulled me into a hug with a back slap.

I hugged him back before moving to Mom. "I'll see you tomorrow. And I promise I'll inform you if anything changes with Dox. Elias told the enforcers to send me texts every hour." I kissed Mom's cheek.

She cupped my face. "I'm so glad he has you to watch out for him."

I gripped her wrists. "Mom, we all have each other. And stop talking like you're not around, too. You know how we hate that you and Dad talk like that."

She patted my cheek. "Sorry. We're parents, though. We can't help but be thankful that all of you like and support each other. It makes us feel better."

I wrapped her up in another hug. "Yeah well, we still hate it."

She patted my chest. "All kids do. Now, go on. Get back to your life."

Rolling my eyes, I shook my head. "Cole went to talk to one of his players, and I have no idea what Victoria's doing. Probably cleaning. Being watched by the permanent enforcers is driving her crazy. But I have to say that it's nice to have a woman in the house. Cole and I both hate cleaning."

Mom and Dad both laughed.

Dad pulled Mom back against his side. "Don't take her for granted. You'll miss her when she leaves."

I chuckled. "Yeah, probably."

Once we said all our goodbyes, I watched them get in the truck and drive off before heading back to the house. It was only lunch time and I was exhausted. The walk was nice on the paths that had been created over the last few years. The canopy was thick overhead, holding off the rain, but sunlight still managed to filter down. As I walked, some young wolf cubs came to play around my feet, yipping and snapping at each other before running off. For some reason, the shifter infection and genes were evolving. Kids could shift earlier and earlier. And a couple times, I thought I could see some orange with black stripes through the trees.

It didn't take long to get back home. I nodded to the two enforcers posted outside the front of the house. They gave a nod back before resuming their badass stance. Jason was being extra careful about Victoria's safety, even here on the compound. But the guards let me know that she was still in the house.

"Has she left today?" I asked them.

Both shook their heads.

"Thanks, guys."

Going through the carport, I opened the side door. As usual since she'd moved in, the washer and dryer were doing their things. The house smelled like homemade cleaner that wouldn't be harmful for her to breathe in. But on top of that was the smell of food. Even though I'd just eaten, my stomach rumbled. Victoria was a wonderful cook. Smelled spicy. We liked spicy in this house.

I was just taking off my coat and hanging it up when I heard a sharp hiss and groan.

Hurrying into the kitchen, I found Victoria holding her stomach. She was leaning heavily on the counter, her free hand braced.

"Victoria!"

I rushed over to her, wrapping an arm around her waist and taking her hand.

She smiled weakly. "It's okay. I'm good."

I gave her a look. "No, you're not. Let's get you sitting down."

Instead of the kitchen table, I took her into the living room to sit on the plush couch.

"What happened?" I asked as I sat on the coffee table.

She closed her eyes and swallowed, her hand absently rubbing her belly. "I'm not sure. I just got really dizzy for a moment."

Reaching forward, I felt her forehead and temples. She was a bit warm but nothing I was too worried about. She'd been cleaning all day with the heat on in the house; it wasn't a surprise that she'd be warm.

"Has this happened before?"

She shook her head, her dark blonde hair falling into her face. "No. I think I've just been doing too much today."

"Then you should rest," I said, taking the rag from her. "No more cleaning. Turn on the TV. Watch a soap opera or something."

Getting up, I went to the large fireplace under the TV and built up the fire. I also turned the heat down in the house so that the fire could make things cozy instead of too warm in the house. Then I grabbed the remote and handed it to her before taking her shoes off and propping her feet up on the table.

She laughed and swatted at my arm. "Ash, please. You don't have to do all this."

I pegged her with a hard look. "I can and I will unless you want me to call my grandfather."

She huffed and pointedly turned the TV on.

"That's what I thought. Now, have you eaten today?"

Chewing her lip, she frowned. "I had a muffin and some chips."

Now, I glared at her. "Are you serious? Carlisle didn't give you the nutritional chart for light reading, Victoria. And don't even say it's a cheat day. Cheat days don't imply starving yourself. I'm gonna go make you a sandwich or two." I got up and started for the kitchen.

"Ash," she chided.

Spinning around, I held up my phone. "Do I need to make a call?"

Crossing her arms, she huffed again. "Fine. But don't forget the tomato and pickles."

"Whatever you want. Just sit there and be calm. Think happy thoughts."

"I'm not trying to fly, Ash."

"Good. Cole would die of heart failure."

Instead of just two, I made four sandwiches. Two for her and two for me. I was still hungry because I didn't want to eat too much of Jason and Piper's food. I grabbed two glasses of water before kicking off my boots and joining her on the couch.

She wiggled her feet as she took the plate. "Thanks, Ash."

"Don't mention it. I was hungry, too."

She took a bite and chewed before asking, "Can we not tell Cole about this? Please."

Chewing my own bite, I looked over at her. "Promise me you'll eat like you're supposed to when we're not here. Because to be honest, I'm tempted to have at least one of those guards in here with you from now on when you're here alone."

"I promise."

I held up my pinky between us.

She gave me a flat look. "Are you serious?"

"As a heart attack. You break it, you'll be on bed rest and twenty-four hour watch before you can blink."

Sighing, she wrapped her pinky around mine.

I nodded. "Good deal."

Together, we sat on the couch eating our sandwiches and watching sappy Hallmark movies until Cole came home.

* * *

 **I really want to thank you guys for hanging in there with me. I know you want the story to pick up and it will. Maybe next chapter or the one after that. I'm not quite sure. And since you guys hate that I skip over the family dinners, I will try to put that into the next chapter. Once again, I really love you guys! xoxoxoxo**


	7. Chapter 7

**Hey, guys! I know it's been a while. I've really been struggling with this story because so many people seem to not like it. But I figured, for those who do, I might as well finish it. This chapter is all about Dox and Ryell. Lately, we've had more of Cole and Ash so I figured we'd give these two a little spotlight.**

 **Please Enjoy!**

* * *

 **DoxPOV**

I came back to consciousness on a full body spasm.

And when the pain registered, I groaned as I slowly put myself horizontal again. My whole body felt like I'd been hit with a car. There were sharp and dull pains, muscle spasms, and stings. Bringing my arms up so that I could rub my face felt like a Herculean task, but I managed it. My palms scratched against the beard growth and the many cuts in my flesh. From what I could tell, my lip was the size of a golf ball, my nose had been broken and no doubt had reknitted back wrong, and my jaw was throbbing.

When I was done with the self-inspection, I put my hands on my chest and took a deep breath. There were bruises on my sternum as my hands landed, but I relished the pain. It meant I was still alive.

Swallowing through a dry throat, I ran my hands down my body trying to figure out what exactly had happened. I didn't remember a damn thing. The beatdown must have been spectacular, though, for me to have been this messed up. How many days ago had it happened? Or was it hours? And what had caused it?

A deep breath through the nose had my brain start firing again, and I started to register scents. I smelled a lot of concrete, which explained why it felt I was lying on the ground. There was also fresh air, the scent of mid-afternoon carrying rain and weak sunshine. Then there was the blood as well as something spicy. It was kind of familiar but I'd never scented it around myself before, so I couldn't quite place it. Well, at least until my hands froze in the exploratory routine.

My blood went cold when my fingers slid over the bottom of my stiff shirt and the tops of my even stiffer jeans. I'd assumed the stiffness was from blood, but the moment I found the button of my jeans undone, my body went still even as my heart thundered in my chest.

Finally peeling my eyes open, I lifted my head to look down my body. None of the damage registered. All I could focus on were the white stains on my black shirt and the open halves of my pants.

Disgust and betrayal slammed into me as my eyes misted over. Holding in a sob, I let my head fall back against the concrete of the cell and slung my arm over my eyes. Because that was exactly where I was: a cell on the compound. Ryell must have peaked before I could get off the land away from her…and I must have gone mating-crazy.

"Oh, god…" I whispered on a shaky breath.

What had I done? Who did I hurt? The thought that I'd hurt anybody in my charge to get to Rye made me wanna hurl, but the thought that I may have hurt my mate? I wanted to castrate myself with a rusty spoon.

"You didn't hurt me," a soft voice said.

I squeezed my eyes shut as I put my other hand over my hips. The urge to throw up had my throat convulsing as I rolled onto my side, putting my back to her. I couldn't believe that I'd been tossed into this cell and all I'd done was jack off. It felt like such a complete betrayal to her, especially since I'd told her I would never do it before we could be together.

There was a sound as if she'd moved. When she spoke, her voice was a little closer. "Oh, Dox," she choked out. "It's okay, baby. I'm not mad. Please don't cry. Please."

With my back to her, I kept my eyes squeezed closed while I fumbled my fly back into place. Thank God, I wasn't hard anymore. That would have made all this worse. As it was, the tears that were few still came out, slid down my cheek and over the bridge of my nose.

"Open this cell," he heard her commanded in a hoarse voice. "Right now. Open it." There was a silence before she demanded, "Why not?" in a stronger tone.

"We're under orders from Jason," one of the guards answered. "We can't let anyone in or out until he clears it. I'm sorry."

Surprisingly, she didn't fight it. Jason was a highly respected male. The only person who could override his orders was Walker, and no way did I want that man in here right now. I didn't want him or anyone else to know what had happened if they didn't already. It was bad enough that Ryell knew and had seen the evidence on my clothes. And no doubt smelled it on the air.

"Baby," she said softly, back at the bars. "Please. I'm right here." There was a quaver in her voice that I hated. It meant she was trying her hardest to keep her own tears in check.

"I'm so sorry," I said on a sob, my voice cracking.

She sniffled before saying, "There's nothing to be sorry for."

"But I-,"

"I don't care," she bit out. "I don't care about that. We were both mindless. It's better that you did…that…than kill someone we love. We could have killed each other. I'm not angry, Dox. Truth be told, if I'd been conscious, I probably would have done the sa-,"

She was cut off by the nasty growl that roiled up from my gut. Anger pulsed through me as I rolled over and studied her shocked face. There as a bruise that took up the left side of her face. It was dark blue and black, like an oil stain in clean water.

Immediately, I was crouching at the bars of the cell without even remembering the trip to get there. Reaching through, I softly touched her cheek. When she still winced at even that small touch, the growl turned to a snarl.

The guards in the large room shifted uncomfortably, like they were ready to come peel her away from me. It wasn't a bad idea with how violent I was feeling. But then again, I'd be pissed if they tried to take her away.

"Who the _fuck_ touched you?" I demanded.

Gripping my hand, she shook her head sadly. "It doesn't matter, Dox."

"The hell it doesn't," I growled. "I'll fucking kill them!"

Her sherry eyes shimmered as she hiccupped. "No, you won't." The tears choked her up. "He saved lives by doing what he did. I plan on thanking him."

 _"_ _Him?!"_

As usual, she didn't rise to my aggression. "Yes, 'him'. It's okay."

She started to reach through the bars, but I flinched away from her. Taking my hand from her grip, I moved back until I hit the wall and was as far away from her as I could get. I didn't want her touching any part of me until I took a shower. The fact that I'd touched her with my right hand and that she'd held it made the reflex to gag return. No doubt that was the hand I'd used to…yeah.

Bringing my knees to my chest, I wrapped my arms around them and looked up to see her tears fall.

"You pulled away from me," she whispered. "You've never done that before."

I just shook my head. "I can't touch you right now. I can't…I just can't."

Pulling deep breaths of the fresh air that was coming through the barred window high up in the wall, I rested my forehead on my knees.

My ears picked up that she was moving again, moving away. Then the lock of the outer door turned before her light footsteps echoed out into the hallway.

"Please," I whispered once it was quiet again. "Don't tell anyone."

There was a pause before one the guards spoke up in a quiet tone. "We have nothing to tell, Mr. Black. Nothing at all."

 **RyellPOV**

I barely stayed standing as I stumbled out of the jailing unit. The pain in my chest just wanted me to sink down and sob. But the rational side of me understood why Dox was acting the way he was. He hated himself for having done what he did after he'd promised that he wouldn't. There had been disgust in his eyes that had taken me a while to figure out that it wasn't aimed at me.

"Ryell?"

Looking up from swiping my eyes, I saw Ash watching me worriedly as members of the pack glanced at us from their peripheral vision while they went about their days. But Ash was my constant. He'd always been an anchor in the family, ever the understanding mentor and comforting friend.

With a sob, I launched myself at him, holding on for all I was worth. Without a word or a stupid question, he wrapped his arms around me and held me tight to his chest. The comfort he offered was that of a brother who just wanted to be there for his loved ones.

I cried all over his shoulder, sobbing in his ear. He stroked my hair and back, rocking us a little.

When I was finally empty, I gave him a squeeze before stepping back. "Ugh, sorry," I said as I pulled my sleeve over my hands and cleaned my face off.

He shrugged and reached out to push my hair over my shoulder. "No reason to be. How is he?"

"Physically, fine. Otherwise, I'm not too sure. He pulled away and said he can't touch me right now.

Ash recoiled. "It's not you, Rye. You have to know that."

I nodded. "I do. He's angry with himself for what he did. I assume you know?"

He nodded. "But don't worry. Those who know will keep it quiet. We all know how he felt about that."

Taking a deep shaky breath, I looked around the compound and wrapped my arms around myself. "I'm not mad at him for it. It's not like he knew what he was doing. And I saw his reaction when he woke up and figured out that it had happened. He was…horrified." Then a thought dawned on her. "And oh, god. How must he feel knowing that I know?"

Ash reached out to pull me in for another hug. "Don't worry. He'll bounce back. He probably just wants a nice, hot shower to clean himself up. True, he wouldn't want you to see that, but I think it's good you did. He would have tried to hide it. Honesty is golden at times like this."

I nodded against his chest. "Thanks for being my crying post."

The chuckle rumbled through his chest. "Anything for you. Always."

Pulling back again, I straightened up and pushed my hair back. "Okay. Enough with the emotions. I was going to go see...him." No need for Dox to know right now who had done the number on her face.

Ash frowned as he reached out to gently tilt my chin, exposing my cheek. "You sure you don't want to get that looked at?"

I shook my head. "It's just a bruise. It should be healed by later tonight."

Thankfully, my mate's twin followed my lead on the name thing, not giving away Dakota. "You know, he's going to go apeshit when he sees his handiwork."

I shrugged. "And I'll just reassure him like I've been doing with everyone else."

Nodding, he shoved his hands in his pockets, his eyes going over her shoulder to the jail. "How'd Dox take it?"

By his tone, he'd already guessed. But I gave him a look anyway. "How do you think? If he ever finds out who it was, he'll go after him."

Ash sighed and rubbed his face. "Just another layer," he muttered. But when he took his hand away, he said, "We'll deal with that when we get to it."

"Yeah."

Silence crept up on us as we both got sucked into the visions of Dox going to town on Dakota's face.

I shivered. "Well, I'm sure you want to see him and I know he wants to see you." His hand was warm in mine when I took it. "Take care of him for me?"

With a smile, he squeezed my hands. "Absolutely."

"While I'm out, I'll see if Jason will lift the order so he can get cleaned up. He and I need to talk."

"That's a good idea. Thanks," he said as he started walking around me. "I'll see you later, okay?"

Waving goodbye, I started off across the compound and onto the walking trails that would lead me to Piper's place. To be completely honest, the walk was an embarrassing one. I was horrified by what most of the bad had probably seen, how scared they must be that I'd lash out at them. But my peak was over, leaving me calm in my skin. Despite the mortification, I kept my head up and nodded at those I passed. Many of them bowed to me or wished me a good day. I never saw or scented fear, which was good. I would never hurt my people.

When I got to where I was going, I sucked in some good, clean oxygen and knocked on the door.

Jen, the fox, answered. At first, she was all smiles. Then her gaze landed on my face and those eyes widened. "Are you all right?"

I gritted my teeth in a smile. "I'm fine. Are Dakota and Jason here?"

I'd heard that question so many times today since the moment I'd woken up with my face pounding out to the same beat as my heart. Though I knew everyone meant well, it was getting on my damn nerves. But I reigned it in. A leader didn't bite her subjects' heads off for being concerned. Even though Jen and the rest of Piper's pack weren't my subjects. Still, it would be rude to snap at the genuine concern.

Nodding, Jen opened the door to invite her inside. "Yes, they're both here. In Jason's office. Would you like me to get them?"

Smiling, I shook my head. "I know my way around. Don't trouble yourself."

As I passed, I gave the older woman's arm a comforting squeeze before going around the stairs and down the hall to Jason's office. I'd been in this place hundreds of times with him and the Black kids making plans for the pack.

Shoring up the strength to deal with more are-you-okays, I lifted my hand to knock. But I didn't get there.

The door was flung open to reveal Jason. His blue eyes stared at me as though he hadn't seen me in months and I'd just come back from the dead.

Talking through the shocked silence, I said, "Hey, I just came by to – oh!"

Jason had scooped me up into a massively tight hug. "Thank God," he whispered. Then he held me back by the shoulders and studied up and down before his eyes landed on my face. "Are you okay?" he demanded. The only thing that saved him from an eye roll was that it wasn't some soft question, like I was a poor widdle female.

Giving him a small smile, I sighed. "I'm fine. I promise."

Those watchful blue eyes studied me. "I'd get Piper to heal you up but she went for a run. Then she was gonna stop to heal Dox if he wasn't already. I lifted the order on Dox."

A part of me that I didn't know was tense relaxed. I guess the thought of Dox trapped in that cell by orders made me uncomfortable.

"Thanks, but really, I'm fine. It's just a bruise. Dad had one of the nurses sit with me while I was out to monitor me and then check me out when I woke up. I'm all cleared. And the headache is gone. Yay for Excedrin."

He didn't smile but those big shoulders relaxed a little. "You're sure you're okay?"

I touched his arm. "Absolutely. I just wanted to see Dakota."

There was a pause before Jason stepped aside to reveal the office. Dakota was standing in front of the desk and to the side of the chair before it. Just as every time I saw him, his appearance briefly cut my breathing off. He was such a beautiful male with his lightly striped skin, auburn hair, and orange eyes. I'd grown up knowing there were other types of shifters out there even though everyone called me crazy. I'd never seen pictures or heard firsthand accounts, but I'd just known.

He winced as he saw my face and swallowed hard. "I, uh, I'm really sorry, Ryell."

Going into the room, I shook my head. "No, don't be. You did what you had to; I know that. And so does everyone else. You saved lives, including your own. I can't fault you for that. And this?" I motioned to my face. "It'll heal. Overall, things could have been a lot worse. I know that I hurt you, too. It seems Piper worked her magic."

Dakota rubbed one of his forearms and nodded. "Yeah, it wasn't that bad. Just some scratches."

"And a broken cheekbone," Jason cut in drily.

Eyes widening, I looked over at him before going back to the tiger. "I…I did that?"

Dakota just shrugged. "Honestly, it was nothing. I'm fine."

"Then we're even," I said sternly. "No worrying about me."

"But you're a female, and I hit you. Hard enough to knock you out for a solid twenty-four hours."

Taking a step toward him, I said, "And I enjoyed all that sleep. It was quite refreshing."

He gave me a look. "Dox has seen you, hasn't he? He knows what I did."

"I didn't tell him it was you, and nobody is going to anytime soon unless you open your piehole."

Those pretty eyes frowned. "You didn't tell him?"

I shook my head. "Nope. He's still healing from what happened, both physically and emotionally. There was no reason to give him more to agonize over. Now, are you going to hug me or is Jason going to have to hold you down so I can hug you? Because one way or another it's going to happen."

Jason let out a snort of laughter while Dakota's brows met his hairline.

His feet brought him over to me, his arms open. I stepped into the embrace, wrapping my arms around his waist. "Thank you, Dakota. I don't think you know what it means to me that you protected us all." Over my shoulder, I looked at Jason. "You, too, Govain. Dox would have torn this place apart to get to me."

He dipped his chin into a nod before opening his mouth.

I interrupted him. "If you say you were just doing your job, I'm going to come over there and punch you."

Now Dakota was the one to chuckle, the sound vibrating against my ear from his chest. "And I'll help her."

Jason shook his head. "Traitor."

Around her, Dakota shrugged. "If it's for the right reason, you won't kill me. Especially if the lady asks me to."

"And I totally will."

I pulled back and we smiled at each other.

Clearing my throat, I stepped away and straightened Dakota's shirt. "Now, as much as I'd love to hang around, I've got more rounds to make and to check on Dox again. We've got some things to talk about."

After saying our goodbyes, I kissed both boys on the cheek and left.

It was good to know that both of them were watching over the compound.

 **AshPOV**

"You get that water any hotter, you're gonna melt the skin off your body," I said as I leaned against the counter in the bathroom of Dox's cabin.

Water splashed in uncoordinated rhythms.

"Maybe that's my goal right about now." Dox's voice was distorted coming from behind the curtain.

And that was why I hadn't left him alone since I set eyes on him in the cell. He looked terrible. His body and face were beat to shit, clothes bloodied and rumpled. But it was his eyes that bothered me. There was none of that compassionate sparkle in my twin's eyes. Part of what made him who he was was missing. He was just…dead. And nothing good ever came out of someone who had that look in their eyes.

"Remind me again why you're in here with me? We haven't taken a bath together since we were four."

"Six," I corrected. "And I'd like to point out that I'm not actually _in_ the shower."

From out of the drawer beside my hip, I took out a pair of nail clippers and did away with a stray cuticle.

Dox was quiet for a while, just standing under the hot water. The steam was so hot that I was glad there wasn't any wallpaper in the room. Otherwise it would have all melted off.

Dox's low voice cut through the sounds of the rushing water. "You don't want me alone."

"No. I don't."

"Why? Scared I'll do something I'll regret?"

"Absolutely. You've got that special little twinkle in your eyes that makes me nervous, so do me a favor and stay away from sharp objects."

"It's not sharp you need to worry about, little brother." His voice lacked any emotion whatsoever.

Growling, I hipped off the counter and reached over to rip back the curtain. "What the fuck is wrong with you, Dox? You've never been anywhere near suicidal before. Do we need to lock you back up? Because, as God as my witness, I will do it."

My brother didn't even bother to try to cover himself up. Which would have been stupid anyway. We were twins; we'd shared a womb for however many months.

But Dox's eyes remained dull.

"Look, just because you masturbated doesn't mean jackshit, okay?" I said as harshly as I could just to get some emotion out of him. "I get that you're upset you broke a promise to Ryell, but you were out of your mind with the mating hormones. Who knows how badly you could have hurt yourself if you hadn't done it. And it's not like it really means anything." When he winced, I amended myself. "All I'm saying is that you don't even remember doing it. You didn't betray her or cheat or whatever you think you did. So snap out of this, Dox, because you still need to get business done with her before this happens again."

At that, Dox's eyes flashed a vicious growl ripped out of his throat. Before I knew what was happening, he had me pinned to the wall by using my neck as a handle, his sharp teeth at my throat. "Shut. Up."

A shot of fear licked up my spine. "Dox," I said softly. "Think about what you're doing." There was absolutely nothing sane in his dark eyes. "Maddox, you know I wasn't being callous about Ryell. I'm as worried for her as you are. And I'm worried about you." Swallowing as well as I was able, I kept my tone low and gentle. "If you don't take care of this with her now, it'll just get worse. Nobody wants a repeat of what happened. Nobody wants to see the two of you hurt."

Carefully reaching up, I gripped his biceps. "Come on, brother. Talk to me. I'm here for you now in this as I've always been. Let me help you."

It was a moment before the harsh expression left his face. Slowly, he came back from whatever ledge he'd been on as horror dawned in his eyes. The falling water was loud in the silence as he pulled back, his fangs receding. His hands let go of my shirt, held out in front of him.

I gripped his neck. "She's not angry with you, Dox. She understands, as we all do. You're the only one taking it this hard when it's not necessary. I know it's hard for you to break a promise because you never do. But that wasn't you last night. It wasn't."

"I should have left the compound," he whispered hoarsely. "I knew she was close."

Gently, I shook him until his eyes were back on me. "We all make mistakes. And because everyone played their parts, nobody was grievously hurt."

Outside, there was a knock on the cabin door.

We both looked toward that direction in sync.

Leaning over, I opened the bathroom door to shout out, "Come on in. We'll be just a minute."

The door started to open as I closed us back in together. I snagged a towel and handed it to my brother. "That'll be Piper. She's going to heal you up."

Dox took the towel and started to dry off while shaking his head. "I deserve to feel-,"

He shut up when I slapped the back of his shaved head. When he glared at me, I put a finger in his face. "Shut the fuck up with that shit, Dox. You don't deserve any of this. Now, figuratively speaking, jack up your pants and take care of business. You've got a female who is an emotional wreck and needs you. Are you really going to let other people take care of her? Shit, if sex is what she needs to make this shit stop, then I'll take one for the fucking team."

That growl started up again.

"Good. You're pissed. Now get out there and fucking do something about it. Every time this happens, she suffers. Get healed up and quit being a pussy."

Dox just stared at me before he smiled a little. "No sugarcoating shit, huh?"

I rolled my eyes and went for the door. "We don't have time for me to play Dr. Phil. And frankly, I'm losing patience between you and Victoria." Feeling the anger rise up again, I firmly closed the door and turned back to him. "And if you _ever_ spout that suicidal shit again, I'll lock you up so fast the Roadrunner's head will spin. Are we clear on that?"

Solemnly, he nodded. "As usual, you're right."

Yanking the door open, I grumbled, "Damn straight I am. Better remember it, too."

The low chuckle behind me made something in my chest ease a little.

Piper was sitting on the couch watching some chick flick on TV. The moment we came out, she turned the thing off and stood up. Those emerald green eyes took in the fact that we both were coming out of the steamy bathroom and the towel around Dox's waist.

Her brows popped as she crossed her arms. "Everything okay?"

I glanced at my twin. "For now. How you doin'?"

She shrugged. "Good, I guess. The last thing I remember is healing Dakota before I passed out. Jason told me what happened." She nodded her dark head at Dox. "Want some healing action?"

"Only if you're feeling up to it."

I shot him a glare before pleading with Piper.

She smiled. "Get over here and sit down."

It didn't take her long to do her thing and Dox was looking like his normal self.

I walked her to the door. "Thanks, Pipes," I said as I kissed her cheek.

She patted my chest. "Not a problem. Although I hope we won't have to do this for a while. You guys are wearing me out."

"Sorry."

She waved it away. "Nah. It could be worse." Her hand patted me again. "We'll see you later. Bye, Dox."

"See ya. Thanks again."

She waved on her way out, but there was another female figure waiting in the shadows.

I smiled. "Come on in, Rye. He's showered up."

She stepped out of the shade of the woods looking anxious. The bruise on her cheek was starting to heal seeing as how it was now a lighter shade of blue. "Are you sure?" she asked quietly, her eyes going to the space over my shoulder as if she could see into the cabin behind me.

"Absolutely. And I am going to go check on Victoria so you can have some privacy."

"Ash!" Dox hissed from behind me.

I just waved at him on my way out the door. "Really. Piper just did her thing, so he's all fresh." Turning around, I pegged Dox with a glare. "You _need_ to talk about this. And now is the best time to do it. Don't be an asshole." As he glared, I swung back to Rye with a grin. "He's all yours. Good luck."

And with that, I walked off into the growing darkness.

 **DoxPOV**

Glaring as my twin walked away, I felt the need to pound him into the ground for this.

But I didn't because he was right.

Ryell was standing just out of the door, her face half in shadows. Even still, I could see the healing bruise. The need to hit something came back full force, but I beat it back. This wasn't the time to make demands of her, especially when she was so adamant to protect whoever it was who had hit her.

My mate was beautiful standing half in the light. Her strawberry hair had been braided over her shoulder in a thick rope. Small, slender hands stroked that rope like she was nervous.

"I know what he said and he's right but…are you sure? We can wait."

I seriously debated taking that offer considering I was still in the towel and steadily getting hard just from her standing there. But in the end, I knew Ash was right. We needed to get this over with. And who knew, maybe the fact that I was only wearing a towel would help us get to where we really needed to be. It sounded crude, but everyone was right. This barrier needed to be crossed because for some reason the aggression _was_ getting worse.

Holding out my hand, I nodded. "Come in here before it gets too cold."

Her expression softened as she stepped through the door. "I'm a werewolf and my boyfriend is his own personal space heater."

"Doesn't mean it's not cold out there or that you don't get cold."

The moment her hand landed in mine, I felt her body shivering.

Leaning around, I shut the door and pulled her toward the couch to sit in front of the fire.

She gracefully sank down and rubbed her hands on her thighs. Her eyes were everywhere but on me and she was on the edge of the couch as though ready to bolt.

We both stayed silent as I sat next to her but not touching. This wasn't like us at all. Ever since we'd been together, things had been easy with us, but now I felt like there was a distance there.

Rubbing over my extremely short hair, I turned toward her. "I'm sorry about earlier."

Startled, she looked over at me, blinking. "What?"

God, she was totally spaced out.

I cleared my throat and scooted closer to her. "This morning. I'm sorry. For all of it."

No words. She just nodded.

"Are you going to say anything?"

Her eyes flicked back and forth from me to the fireplace. Rubbing her hands together, she licked her lips and adjusted on the edge of the seat. "I'm not sure that there's anything I need to say, Dox. I mean, I'm sorry I ran out on you like that. It's just…you've never pulled away from me."

For something to do other than taking her hand, I rubbed my head again. "I know. And I hate that I hurt you. I couldn't…touching you with that…stuff…"

"Semen? Yours?" she demanded, finally showing signs of life. "Dox, you did nothing wrong. How many times do I have to tell you that? What do you think is going to happen when we lay together? You can't wear a condom. That _stuff_ will be on and inside me. We're not twelve anymore. We're adults who have a problem between us that involves sex. Let's talk about this maturely."

The breath punched out of my lungs. I nodded. "Yeah, okay. You're right." So I turned and looked her in the eyes. "Okay so earlier…I felt dirty, like I'd betrayed you. That's the only reason I pulled away. It's not that I don't want you. I do want you. Badly."

Frustration bubbled in me, forcing me to burst up from the couch. I needed movement or I was going to scream.

"I just hate all this shit. This isn't normal. I want to plan us and be romantic and shit. And that's not going to happen because everybody is right. This needs to happen before we seriously hurt someone. I beat the shit out of Jason and you clawed up Dakota and that's not okay."

We both went silent as the fire crackled and I kept pacing.

"Then do something about it," she whispered.

I froze in my tracks. "What?"

"Do something about it."

Her voice was so close it was like she was whispering in my ear. Spinning around, I found her behind me.

Swallowing hard, she reached out to me. "Dox, I know I'm a tough girl. But…I am a girl. I don't always want to be in charge of us. I'm your female by name and imprint, so make me your female body. Mark me up, make me yours." Taking my hand, she placed my palm between her breasts so that I could feel her heartbeat sync with mine. "I am yours. I will always be yours. And the fact that you did yourself?" She shook her head. "That doesn't hurt me. If anything, it turns me on. You wanted me so badly that you broke your promise to me. How am I not supposed to feel flattered by that?"

With my hand still on her sternum, she moved in close. Her hands were warm against my chest as she brought them up and smoothed them down my stomach.

"And you know what?" she whispered. She went up on her toes to whisper in my ear, "I want to watch you do it again."

My whole body spasmed to that bit of info. A growl percolated up my throat, my free arm snapping around her waist and pulling the front of her against the front of me. Without my telling them to do so, my hips pumped against her.

Rye purred, her nails scratching down my skin until she got to the towel. Curling her fingers around the edge, she said, "I think we should ditch this towel and get me naked." Her breaths came out in pants. "I want us together. Now. I want you to stop beating yourself up. Stop thinking about last night." Her fingers came up to trace my lip. "Think about me now."

Oxygen was not easy to come by as the heat travelled between us. But I managed to breathe out a reply. "I thought of you last night. Every time I came." I swallowed hard and licked my lips. "I can't remember everything, but I do remember that. You were my every thought."

Her grin was resplendent. "Then make those thoughts a reality. Take me to bed. Or on the couch. Or the floor. I don't care where as long as we're together. You're all that I need and all that matters to me."

As I watched, she stepped back to flip her shoes off before pulling her shirt over her head, leaving her in a bra and jeans. The creamy swells of her breasts pushed the limits of the bra, her flat stomach moving with her breaths. The breath was sawing in and out of my chest as I reached for her braid while she went for her pants.

"Are you sure?" My voice was so rough that I barely recognized it.

Her response was a growl as she shimmied those tight jeans down her thighs. The lace-trimmed red underwear matched the bra. And once I unraveled the braid, her hair fanned over her shoulders like a cape. Without hesitation, she stepped up against me again and reached for the towel that was now pinned between our bodies. The eye contact was fierce as she ripped the cloth out from between us and threw it somewhere else. Her breath was ragged when my erection was pressed against her stomach, but she didn't balk. I wasn't one to brag, but I wasn't small and she was a fairly dainty female. Reaching behind herself, she unhooked her bra and threw it so that it joined the towel.

In the way of a starving man, my eyes drank all of her in. Despite all the make-out sessions, I'd never seen her naked or even in her underwear. So in this moment, I memorized every bit of her. She was small and taut, her muscles tight. Her breasts were a good handful each tipped in dark pink nipples that tightened in the cool air.

My mouth watered and all I wanted to do was taste her.

 _Then do it_ , the dominant in me growled.

Wrapping an arm around her waist, I pulled her up to her toes as I bent down over her. The sexiest gasp I'd ever heard came out of her mouth as I kissed my way down her breast, my tongue making appearances to lick the saltiness of her skin. Rye's hands went to cup my head as she put her head back and groaned. Her whole body jerked when my lips closed around her nipple and sucked. God, she tasted like sweat and delicate female. Licking my way across her sternum, I took the other one just to make the playing field fair. My hand skimmed down over her ribs, waist, and hip to grip her firm ass.

Rye moaned, her hips rubbing against mine, seeking friction.

Hefting her up, I walked around the couch to the sturdy coffee table. I knelt between her thighs, mouth keeping contact with her skin. Something snapped in me, the need to feel all of her driving me to run my hands all over her body while I kept tasting her skin. The taste of her as I sucked on her neck had my eyes rolling back even though they were closed.

God, I needed to get inside her. Or at least do more to her.

Putting my hand at the base of her throat, I started to kiss my way down her body and push her torso back until she was lying on the table. She squirmed under my lips, but when I looked up, I saw her head tilted so she could watch me.

I kissed her hip just above the lace of the panties. "Can I take these off?" I asked roughly.

Red lips parted and eyes flared as she nodded. "Please."

A hum started in my chest as I slipped my fingers over the elastic and started to pull the cloth away from her body. I didn't look at her until the panties landed somewhere near her other clothes. I almost came right there, kneeling between her thighs. I was face to face with the secret flesh of her body, and she was weeping for me. The blonde hair that dusted the juncture of her thighs was lighter than what was on her head, more blonde, less strawberry. And she was neatly trimmed and cared for.

As I watched her get wetter, the gloss of her made me lick my lips in anticipation.

Rye squirmed on the table, bringing my attention to her.

"I wanna taste you."

Moaning, her head went back, body arching.

I took that as permission. Gently, I gripped her ankles, forcing her legs further apart. My hands smoothed up her calves, over her knees, and slid to the insides of her thighs. My mouth followed, kissing back and forth on both sides until Rye was a writhing mess under me. My hands had moved up over her belly to play with her breasts.

She groaned, her chin kicked back. "Dox, please."

A smirk lifted the corner of my mouth before I licked oh so close to that sweet spot. "You want my kiss?"

"Oh, God…yes. Please."

Palming her thighs, I opened her up even more, growling as I dove in to her core. The high pitched gasp just cranked me higher. Instinct drove me to lap at what her body was giving so I licked and sucked. Lips met lips as I kissed her core the way I'd kiss her mouth. It was a hard taking, but Rye was right with me, her body surging under the onslaught, her hands on my head as her hips worked herself against me. Her favorite spot was at the top of her sex. She'd jerk and cry out whenever I hit it.

So when I decided to get this show on the road, I sealed my mouth over that spot and tongued her sex until she arched, a hoarse cry falling from her lips. As her body pumped more honey, I slipped two fingers inside her warmth. I was amazed that her body immediately grabbed onto them, milking them it seemed like. She adjusted quickly as the orgasm kept going and I slipped in a little more with every slow glide of my fingers until I hit that wall inside. It was a temptation to go ahead and break that wall while she was in the midst of orgasm, but it seemed like a cheat if my fingers dusted her virginity. I wanted us to lose that card at the same time.

After a few more pulses, she planted her feet in my shoulders and pushed me away from her. "Stop," she pleaded. "Oh, please, stop. I can't…" Her head thrashed back and forth, her long hair fanning out around her like a halo.

Sitting back, I kissed her thigh, leaving behind a wet streak from my lips. I swallowed the last of her down, that thick sweetness coating my throat.

Kneeling on the floor, I was hard as a rock, ready to take her. But I also didn't want to hurt her. If she needed a moment to gather herself, then a moment is what she'd get. Not to mention, I did not mind one bit to sit there and watch her gain composure. Her body undulated as if she were still riding the pleasure. Those pretty eyes were closed while she panted and swallowed in great gulping breaths.

Then her brows cranked down in a frown and her body shimmied. Her hands came up to palm her own breasts before moving one down her stomach. "I want you inside me."

Between my thighs, my cock twitched. So far, this had been all about her and her satisfaction, but my body had needs, too. My erection was standing up and begging for the job she offered.

Rye's eyes opened enough that I could see the sherry flicker to amber. "I need more, Dox. I need…more."

Fuck. Yes.

Straightening up on my knees, I was tall enough and the table short enough that Rye's hips and mine lined up perfectly. Her mostly amber eyes stared down her body at mine. I knew the moment she saw the erection that was all for her because her teeth ground together as her head kicked back. Smoothing one big palm up her stomach, I gripped myself with other hand, giving the hard length a good stroke or two.

Her hand gripped the wrist that was attached to the hand on her body and tried to move it. "Touch me. God, do something. Please!"

Now a growl rumbled up my chest. She shuddered beneath me. Clamping a hold on her hips, I roughly pulled her against me. We both cried out as her slick heat hit my hard one.

Breaths punching out of my chest, I leaned forward, bracing one arm on the table. "Wrap your legs around me. Now."

She did as she was told, tightening the embrace of our hips.

"You want your male?"

Biting her full bottom lip, she nodded.

"Good," I growled.

With the hand that wasn't supporting my weight, I reached between us and positioned myself. Just at the barest of touches of the head of my cock against her wetness, I almost lost it right there. But I fought my body for control. The first time I came with her in the same room, I'd be inside of her.

So, gritting my teeth, I punched my hips forward and pulverized our virginity in one smooth stroke. This time, the cry was a shout for both of us. I was surprised that the entry was so smooth; I'd expected resistance on her part. But even though she was wet and ready, I paused to let her adjust, resting on my elbow beside her.

When her breathing finally calmed and she opened her eyes, I started to move slowly. Her head moved up and down on the table as her body moved with mine. We kept eye contact as every slide inside her sent shocks down my cock and into my lower back. She was tight and warm with every inch of me she took. A spasm shook me when her hands came up to my ribs, nails digging into my skin.

"More," she whispered. "I'm ready for more."

Going back up onto my hands, I started to swing my hips freely. Ryell moaned, her eyes closing again. My gaze dipped down to her breasts and I found that she had one nipple pinched in her fingertips. The growl was utter sex as I watched her pleasure herself, and my hips started going harder and faster as the pressure built.

Still growling, I leaned over her, planting the weight of my upper body on my elbows on either side of her rib cage. Now, the hand on her breast was trapped between us as I left the realm of making love and turned into fucking.

My hips slammed wetly against her pelvis, thighs against her ass. With every pump, her honey dripped out to coat us both where we came into contact. With every stroke, I went deeper, forcing her take me to my balls. With every pound, her body moved up and down on the table until she had to grab my wrists to keep herself in place.

Hammering against her, we were both covered in sweat and I could feel blood well up from where her nails had broken the skin of my wrists and forearms. At my waist, her thighs tightened around my hips, her ankles locking at my ass and pushing me forward.

Her eyes flew open and a curse fell from her lips. Two seconds later, she was writhing under me as her body tightened. My name was a shout in the room as she flew apart.

And that was my undoing. My whole body froze as the orgasm kicked out of my cock inside her. But once the initial shock was over, I kept going. Her body milked me, urging me on.

Under me, Rye was nothing but a beautiful female in the throes of passion. Her hair was all around both of us, tangled around my fingers. Her skin glowed with all the hormones coursing through her. But it was her expression that gripped my heart and fisted it tight. She was totally blissed out, a smile on her lips even as she cried out and jacked up off the table.

This…creature…was my female. In the midst of passion, she was utterly free, not giving a damn what anybody thought of her. For once, she was enjoying herself without restriction.

And that just kicked off another orgasm for me.

When we were both sated for the moment, both breathing hard and feeling our heartbeats pound in our temples, I sagged just a little. She cradled my head and brought it to her chest so that she could kiss the top of it.

"That was…" she panted, "…amazing."

Taking her mouth in a soft but deep kiss, I breathed, "We're not done yet, lover."

Pulling away from her, I laid myself out in front the fire and reached for her. "Come ride me."

Hazy relaxation of the orgasms faded away to pure hunger in her face. In the aftermath, her eyes had started to change back to sherry, but now, they flared to a bright amber.

My gut tightened in sweet anticipation.

 **RyellPOV**

There was no way I could deny my male what he wanted. Dox was deliciously spread out before the fireplace, his body a work of art. Those sculpted muscles threw shadows as they flexed and his erection was long and thick resting against his hip, as full as it had been to begin with.

Rolling off the table with a graceful ease I had never had before, I walked over to him. But I could feel the difference in my body. _Walked_ was the wrong word as I worked my hips. Something about this moment, the beautiful moment, with him, just the two of us, had changed me. It was like I was no longer just half of a whole that was unconnected. Now that Dox and I had cemented our relationship, we were the whole. We were joined and more powerful than ever. I was his female, his alpha female. My power was now his and his mine. There was a heavy weight in my gut and I knew that it was him. Some part of him had taken root in my body, making it dense and strong. I no longer felt fragile. I was a female in her mating prime with a pack who was willing to follow her and a mate as powerful as she was.

"You're so beautiful," he said, his voice guttural. His eyes, though, hadn't left my face. Not until I was standing over him.

Those dark eyes traveled down my body and he arched up, his hand going to his arousal.

I watched him pump just a couple of times before I used my foot on his wrist to stop him. I shook my head when looked up at me. Immediately, he released himself, letting me pin his hand to the ground with my foot. Then I shoved it out away from his body so that I could kneel beside his hips.

"You want your female to ride you?"

Swallowing hard, he nodded.

"Good."

Swinging a leg over him so that I was straddling his waist, I leaned over, bracing a hand on the carpet over his shoulder, and pressed our mouths together. The kiss was all the words we couldn't say in this moment because we were too busy feeling them. His hands came up to cup my face as my hair fell around us like a curtain.

Pulling back, went down until I could look down at him. I'd have to touch him to put him inside me because I knew he didn't want to be the one to do it. This time was my taking of him. I'd never touched a cock before and the thought of touching Dox sent a thrill through my body that landed low in my belly, a clenching need to have him inside. This was the leftover hormones at work, heating up my blood, tightening my skin. I could feel every craving. My body needed what Dox could give me and it wasn't asking for love. That thick, white substance was the only medicine that could feed my starving body. For too long, we'd waited to do this. Too long my body had craved and been left wanting. This session wasn't going to end after I took him. Because of how badly my body wanted him, I knew there were going to be hours and hours of pleasure to be had. And I was so on board with that.

As I put my hand to his chest, my vision changed. Suddenly, I could see the massive outline of a wolf around Dox. It was nothing but colored air, but my body reacted to it, something inside me actually moving.

My wolf.

And suddenly everything was clear.

My body wasn't craving Dox. My wolf was. Using my body as an outlet was the only way she could get her point across. She wanted him, everything he could give us. He was ours and she was ready to gorge herself on what he was offering us.

When I came back to focus, I found Dox frowning questioningly, his head tilted.

I just shook my head and smiled. "We're good."

Reaching down to his hips, I gripped that solid length. Dox convulsed under me, his head kicking back. He was steel coated in velvet in my hands as I worked him, squeezing occasionally. He groaned and writhed, his fingers digging into the carpet to keep them away from himself. Pride hit me hard as he struggled to comply with the silent order I had given when I'd pushed his hand away. He knew what I wanted.

A couple more tugs and I was ready to have him. My body was weeping for him, the slickness sliding down my thighs along with what he'd left behind inside me.

Standing up his erection, I brushed the head of him around to spread the wetness before putting him in place. The slide down was intense because I was tight from the earlier orgasms and the pause of activity. But it was oh so delicious when I finally sat on his hips. With him so deep inside me, as far as he could go, I felt full, satisfied. Some tightness in my body eased as if it knew it was about to get exactly what it needed.

A purr rolled out of my throat as I started moving on top of him, using my thighs to lift me up, my hips to circle him. Dox's hands gripped my knees hard before he moved those rough palms up my thighs. His thumb briefly paused to press into the top of my sex which made me buck hard on top of him. Listing forward, I planted my palms on his chest and rode him just like he wanted, his hips flexing up to meet mine. His hands continued their journey to my breasts, thumbing and pinching the nipples.

Already I was so close as I lowered my head, my body losing its rhythm. Under me, Dox rammed his hips up, bringing me back into focus. Sitting up again, I held his hands against my breasts and ground my pelvis into his as I rode him.

His breathing was nothing but panting as he squeezed my breasts hard enough that I knew he'd leave marks. His hips froze on the upswing and I felt his cock burst inside me, those hot jets getting soaked up by my body. One of his hands got free of mine and that thumb was back on my clit, circling, pressing, practically vibrating. My orgasm crashed into me so hard that I bent over, planting my hands on his pecs once more and ground our pelvises together.

It was one long cycle of orgasms, our bodies slapping and grinding.

Finally, I palmed the back of Dox's neck and brought him up so that I was essentially in his lap, his cock buried impossibly deeper. We were both snarling and growling, our chests heaving with exertion.

"Mark me," I demanded.

Immediately, his eyes went to my throat. He didn't ask any are-you-sures but just licked his lips in an anticipatory way, reminding me that he was part vampire. And the fact that he looked like he wanted to finally taste the last fluid I had to offer cranked me up that much more.

"Yes," I moaned, tilting my head back. "Drink me while I take you."

His lips were like satin on my skin, his tongue a smooth glide. Leaving one hand on my hip, he brought the other one up to fist my hair and tilt my head back.

"You're mine," he whispered right before he struck.

The orgasm came out nowhere, the shout echoing in the cabin. My body bucked, but the hand in my hair kept my head immobile so that my throat didn't get ripped out while he drank me down. His mouth was cranked wide across my throat, teeth sinking into my flesh. The wounds sang as our sweat mixed with the blood, but even that was a pleasant buzzing accompaniment to the orgasm that just kept rolling through me.

After a good two minutes of feeding, he released me, my blood smeared on his lips and chin. As soon as he moved back, I slumped down, my head on his shoulder.

"You taste like wine," he growled in my ear. "The best wine I've ever had." Then I felt his finger circle the bite mark. "Will this scar?"

It took me a moment to answer through my heart racing in my throat and the sandpaper that had taken place of my vocal chords. "With any…luck. Piper…and Jason…forced them…to scar."

"How?"

"Salt."

Even though he'd orgasmed right along with me while he fed, he was able to somehow get us off the floor and to the kitchen. He set me on the cold counter. Hips between my knees, he reached up for the container of salt in the cabinet.

"Do you want it?"

Leaning back, I felt around the wound. "Are they ragged?"

Moving my hand, he looked at them and shook his head. "No. I was able to hold you still enough."

That dark tone made my body tighten once more and suddenly, I wanted him on top of me again. "Do it," I urged. "I want us done tonight."

As his head dipped in a nod like he understood completely, he opened the little silver contraption and tilted my head. Knowing that this was going to hurt like a bitch, I cranked my hands into fists and clenched my jaw. Again, Dox didn't ask any stupid questions as he gently held my head and poured.

The moment the salt hit the mark, I wanted to scream. But the thought of people running in to find out what happened and finding us naked kept the sound to a grunt. I would not whimper for this. Officially, I was now Dox's property and he would not have a weak mate.

And by the end of the night, he would belong to me.

* * *

 **Phew. So...what do we think? I think some people might have something to say about Dox's reaction to finding out what he'd done, but I think, in a guy like him, it would be something that really bothered him. And when he's talking to Ash, he's not really suicidal, that's just how Ash perceives his words. Overall though, I really love this chapter and cant wait to hear what you guys have to say. So as always, I love y'all! xoxoxox**


	8. Chapter 8

**Yay! Another chapter. I'm so glad so many of you are telling me how much you love this story. So I gave you a little treat with some Bray. It's more serious than fun, but I like the added drama. And Bray is just...well, he's Bray and we all love him. I know you guys want more Dox and Ryell than Ash and Cole, but I have to write what comes to me since I don't outline anything. I write each chapter as it comes to me. So we also meet Nechole again. I have a feeling Embry's kids are going to be coming into play more and more what with Nechole being old enough now. And also, this chapter opens up a whole new opportunity for another series. Whether or not I'll be exploring that is up for grabs. I really hate that I can't update regularly and I leave you guys hanging so much. But we'll see.**

 **Now enough talking!**

 **Please Enjoy!**

* * *

 **VictoriaPOV**

The fist that punched me from the inside had me bracing myself on the counter in the bathroom, the air bursting from my mouth.

Hissing, I rubbed my swollen belly. "Easy there, kid."

Taking a few deep breaths, I looked up into the mirror. Blonde hair was freshly brushed, teeth clean, face scrubbed. All in all, I was nervous for my first day back at work since coming to live with Cole and Ash. It wasn't that I doubted Jason's guys. On the contrary, they freaked me out even though I'd had small conversations here and there with them.

A knock on the door echoed off the tile. "Everything okay in there?"

All I could do was smile. Both my brother and his man seemed to have the need to check on me every ten minutes.

Straightening up, I smoothed the tent of a shirt over my belly. "Yes, Cole. I'm fine. Just a little nervous."

He was quiet for a moment and I knew what was coming. "You know you don't have to go back. We'll take care of you."

Opening the door, I looked up into my brother's handsome face. Smiling softly, I put my hand to his face. "I know, but I cannot handle being cooped up in this house. I can only clean so much or watch so much TV. Honestly, I'll go into a culture coma."

Cole took my hand. "There's no rule saying you have to stay here in the house. You're welcome out among the pack or at the Blacks'."

Brushing past him, I went back into my room to grab my purse. I didn't want him to see how badly being around either pack scared me. After all, there was so much that I still didn't understand about shapeshifters and vampires and all the politics.

Planting a fake smile, I turned back to him. "Cole, I need to do this for myself and…for me." I'd almost said the baby, too. But that would imply that I was thinking about keeping him. Which I absolutely wasn't. Cole and Ash would be perfect parents. End of story. I framed my stomach with my hands. "And you and Ash need to talk about this issue without me here. I've already made up my mind that I want the two of you to have him, so there's really nothing for me to add to discussions. The parenting part is up to the two of you."

Cole studied me with his green eyes that always saw and knew too much. "Toria, we haven't agreed to this."

I patted his chest. "No, but you will. I know you. This boy could be the only time you'll ever be offered the chance to have a baby that's biologically related to you and culturally related to Ash. And if he phases, he'll be able to keep up with his dads since you're determined to get the scratch."

"Keep him and I'm still his uncle as well as Ash."

And that was the problem with Cole. He always found a way to make sense. I hated it, but it made him perfect with Ash. They were both calm and always thought things through. Pissed me off.

The house they shared was cute and cozy with three bedrooms. To get to the kitchen, one had to walk between the living room and dining area. The kitchen itself was a work of art with all shiny appliances, low-toned marble, and cherry wood cabinets.

Ash was in that kitchen packing food containers into a bag. He'd spent all day yesterday after he'd come back from checking on Maddox fixing up meals for the week as well as my lunches and snacks. The man was absolutely determined for me to keep to the nutritional chart that Carlisle had given me. Cole supported his initiative. It was in the way my brother hadn't protested and had helped Ash find some recipes online.

"You sure you wanna do this?" Ash asked as he handed me the bag full of caloric goodies.

This time, I rolled my eyes. "I know you heard me. Yes. I'm fine. Now, if you two would quit fussing over me, I might get to work on time."

Ash smirked, crossing his arms over his chest. "Carlisle would write you a doctor's note if I asked."

I gave him a stern look. "No. Now, come here." I kissed both him and Cole on the cheeks. "Don't wreck this house after all the cleaning I've done."

Cole returned the kiss with a chuckle. "We'll see what we can do."

Three minutes later, I was out the door facing the two enforcers who were going to be the ones staying with me. The others were out in the woods and would stay hidden. Nik and Mark were tall, broad, and deadly. Even though they were wolves, they still had weapons dripping off their big bodies. They both bowed at the necks and Mark opened the back door to the SUV.

"Really? You're my chauffeurs?"

Mark just gave me a look as Nik got behind the wheel. "Please," he said. "We're under orders to see you safe. The backseat is safer for you and the baby."

I gave in because I knew it wasn't worth the fight, but I still said, "Last I checked, my father wasn't hiding in the dash compartment."

"Nevertheless," he answered, taking my elbow and helping me up into the cab, "we're never too careful. Buckle up."

Again, I did as he said and secured my bag of food beside me.

On the way down to the rez, I was actually grateful for the two men as anxiousness settled in my chest. I had a feeling it would stay until I survived the day without incident.

 **DoxPOV**

As I laid in bed with Rye sprawled across my chest, the sheets a mess at our waists, I watched the ceiling brighten with the sunrise. There was a deep satisfied weight in my body that closely resembled relief. I could finally breathe again now that we'd been together.

My mate was against my side, her upper body on top of mine, her long legs spread out across the bed. My head was on the last remaining pillow that we hadn't knocked off in our frenzy that had just stopped about a couple hours ago. Rye had passed out in a sleep that rivaled the dead. My throat throbbed when I swallowed even though her bite and mark was placed between my neck and shoulder. The pain radiated from the spot, but it was one I'd happily endure. The rest of my body felt like I'd trained all day before working out at a gym for a month straight. All my muscles sang and tightened as I moved around under Rye and I couldn't help the groan.

Shifting against me, her eyes fluttered open. And then she smiled. "Morning," she murmured before kissing my pec.

"Morning." My voice was low and rough with morning need. My body was also ready, but I wasn't going to ask her for anything after all we'd done last night. She had to be sore. "Go back to sleep," I whispered in her ear. "It's only been a couple hours since we passed out."

She moved again, her breasts rubbing over my ribs. My cock jumped under the sheet, but I ignored it. "You did most of the work, so you should go back to sleep, too."

Gently, I started moving her over until she was fully on the mattress. As I got up, I gave her the pillow and she wrapped herself around it. "I beg to differ. Besides, I'm too wired to sleep." I kissed her forehead. "I'll be fine. Just rest."

When I was sure she was asleep again, I headed for the bathroom and the shower. Quick rinse before dressing in a pair of sweats and a t-shirt. Back in the bedroom, I pulled the duvet back onto the bed over Rye. Without me around, she got cold easier and I wasn't planning on slipping back into bed with her. Something kept nagging me to go see Walker now that she and I had satisfied our hormones.

After locking up the cabin good and tight, I stepped off the path to walk through the woods in the early morning light. The clouds had yet to roll in today, allowing the weak light to filter in through the branches. Winter was coming; I could scent it on the air. The trees were changing. Those that weren't green year 'round were starting to change color, but only barely. But with my heightened senses, I could see the change in color tone.

Just after dawn, the compound was quiet, only a few people out. Some were tending to the large bonfire that was never allowed to go out. It represented the heart and passion of the pack.

On my way to Walker's front door, I nodded to those I came across. Mostly it was just enforcers getting ready for their shifts or about to get off of one to go to bed for the day. Even so, I tried to keep the mark hidden for now.

One female, however, noticed. It was Penny, Rye's new friend. She had her baby in her arms as she stared at me. Her eyes went wide as she gasped…before falling into a deep bow until her upper body was parallel to the ground, the baby held awkwardly but securely in her arms.

Rushing over to her, I gently took her arm to lift her up. Her wide blue eyes went to my throat then to my face where they turned from surprised to wary. She was new around here and didn't really know me. Gossip said that she was still nervous around males and was hardly ever social except to let her daughter be around other children.

I put my finger to my lips. "I'm not going to hurt you. But please don't say anything to anyone. We're not quite ready for that yet," I whispered.

The female bowed at the neck. "My apologies," she said just as softly. "It was just unexpected."

"I understand." There was a silence between us as she hefted the baby on her hip. "So, are you okay here? Everybody treating you all right?"

Her brows rose as if she were surprised that someone cared enough to ask. Or maybe it was because I was a guy.

After a moment, she nodded. "Everyone's very nice here. And I heard about what Ryell did for me when she met with…him. She didn't have to protect me."

I frowned. "Of course she did. Nobody in this pack or mine or the coven would let a female or child be hurt, no matter what a male claims he has rights to. I'd have beat him myself for what he did to you if she'd allowed me in the room."

Hurriedly, she looked away, but not fast enough. I saw the quiver of her lip and the sheen of tears in her eyes.

Reaching out, I put what I hoped was comforting hand on her shoulder. "You and your daughter are safe here. Always."

That was met with a grateful smile. "Such kindness. It's so rare."

Feeling myself flush, I rubbed a hand over my head. "In the wolves, yes. Definitely. Walker and my dad aimed to change that with their packs and here we are."

Penny's smile was warm and kind. "I promise that I won't tell anyone."

"Thanks."

She gave another little bow before moving along with her kid.

When she was gone, I looked around. It was still quiet out. Even the birds were half-assing their calls.

All of that reminded me how early it was when I knocked on Walker's front door.

When the door opened, I had to look down. "Hey, Wren. How ya doin'?"

He shrugged a shoulder as he opened the door wider to let me inside. "Okay, I guess."

I lowered my voice. "Still having those nightmares?"

He shrugged again but this time didn't look up at me.

I put a hand on his shoulder. "Maybe we can talk to Mara. I'm sure she wouldn't mind whipping something up for you."

The kid shook his head, his shaggy hair falling over his eyes. "But I don't want-,"

"You need sleep, Wren. Your mind can't toughen up if it doesn't get rest, okay? I'll call her and ask." When he stayed silent, I bent down so we were eye to eye. "I won't say anything to anyone. Just between you and me, okay?"

Finally he nodded. "Okay. Thanks."

Bringing him in for a hug, I said, "No problem. I take care of my family."

When he pulled apart, he smiled at me, and I realized that he was getting taller, growing up on me.

"Dox?"

Walker was standing at the top of the stairs in a pair of plaid pajama pants and an undershirt. His hair was a mess around his head.

"Hey," I said lamely.

He frowned. "What are you doing here? It's barely dawn."

Scrubbing my hand over my head, I answered, "Ah, yeah. I, uh, I just wanted to let you know that..." I glanced at Wren before looking up at his dad. "It's done."

I was hoping he caught my meaning, but I didn't have to worry. At my words, I could see the sleep fading from his eyes. Several emotions passed over his features finally landing on grim acceptance.

"Wren," he said, "why don't you go play some video games or something? Dox and I need to talk."

Giving that exasperated sigh that was common in teenagers, Wren closed the door and stalked up the stairs past his dad, who ruffled his hair with a thanks-kid.

Then Walker was coming down the stairs and around the banister. He motioned me to follow him back to his office, so I did. Surprisingly, I didn't feel nervous. Walker wasn't split-personality pissed that I'd bedded his first-born daughter and knew that I wasn't going anywhere. It was only reasonable to talk like adults about this seeing as how I'd be co-leading with Rye.

I closed the door behind myself as he went for the bottle of scotch and two glasses. I was surprised when he poured one for me.

Sitting behind the desk, he handed me a glass and said, "I don't feel guilty for giving you that. You're not a teenager anymore, and frankly, you look like you could use it. Have you slept yet?"

Taking a sip, I pulled a Wren and shrugged. "Couple hours."

My future father-in-law cleared his throat. "So…how is she?"

"Good. She's asleep."

"So why aren't you?"

I just shook my head. "My body's tired but my mind isn't. I just keep buzzing."

Walker narrowed his eyes at me and took a swallow from his glass. "You know you're letting off a current of power, right?"

That little newsflash had me blinking. "I am?"

He nodded. "I can feel it."

I frowned. "But my kind…we don't let off power like you guys do."

His turn to shrug. "I know what I'm feeling and it's not me. I can't feel my own power unless I'm pissed. Which I'm not, by the way." Setting the glass down, he stood up and came around the desk. He reached out, tilted my head to the side before moving the collar of the shirt. "Well, shit."

"What?" I asked, my hand going up to the scar.

Walker used both hands to scrub his face. "I expected the sex but not the marking. This complicates things. As well as explains what you're feeling."

Now my body was waking up along with my mind. Adrenaline from a shot of fear would do that to a person. "How so?"

Lowering his hands, he gave me a steady stare. "You drank from her, didn't you? More than just what the mark required you to taste."

Clearing my throat, I shifted in the chair.

"It's okay if you did," Walker said softly. "You are part vampire. And I know it was consensual. The thing is, though, you drank her blood. To a lesser extent, the same happened to Christa when we marked each other. She took some of my blood and felt the power inside her. She buzzed for a while, too. But she didn't take as much as I'm sure you did from Ryell. The power that's rolling off of you is all yours. It's just being magnified by Rye's blood, _her_ power in your system. For some reason, she's an incredibly powerful alpha."

I frowned. "Because she's a hybrid?"

He leaned back against the desk, shaking his head. "Then why aren't the other hybrids as powerful as she is? I have absolutely no idea where it all came from, but we're preparing for Wren to have as much, maybe more since he's male. To be honest, I think it could be because Christa and I are true mates, which in and of itself is power. Alpha couples are rarely true mates from what I understand. Those matings are political maneuvers. But Rye and Wren are products of my connection with Christa."

This conversation was not what I'd had planned when I'd come here, but since we were already making my head spin, I asked, "Okay, so how does the marking complicate things?"

"Word will get out. Hell, it probably already has from whoever saw you walk over here." He shrugged like it wasn't really a big deal. "It's to be expected. Even if they don't know that you marked her, they'll have seen that she marked you. In this situation, because you're technically an outsider to the Children, that's the sign that she pretty much owns you, that you're her mate. It's a stamp, but more than that, it's a physical binding. Our allies are going to expect a mating announcement as well as a ceremony invitation. The heir to my throne has found her true mate and marked him. She's growing in power. Our allies will want to witness this."

My blood went a little cold. "How soon?"

He shrugged. "As soon as I deem fit to tell them. I can hold them off until after Jules and Bray's wedding as well as Jason's mating to Piper." Going back around the desk, he sat down and picked up his letter opener. "Our waiting to send out an announcement will show that we're not jumping head first into a mating just because my rowdy daughter decided to mark you. It'll show that we're taking this mating seriously, which, of course, we always have. I won't be surprised to be getting inquiries soon. Many of the pack leaders have still been asking after her mating status no matter what I tell them." At my growl, he gave a wry smirk. "They want our alliances cemented in mating and heirs, but none of that is going to happen. You're my son-in-law as far as I'm concerned." He sat forward, putting his elbows on the desktop. "The first thing that's going to happen after Jason and Piper get mated is a party. With the newly mated couple's permission, we'll invite pack leaders or emissaries from each ally pack. At the party, we'll announce Ryell's unveiling as both my official heir as well as soon-to-be mated alpha female. It'll be your coming-out party as alpha couple, a united front to our allies, letting them know we're stronger than ever. News will travel of our growing power. With your mating, we could link a helluva lot more than just the west coast. Our allies could stretch across the entire United States. We'd have eyes everywhere."

Sitting there, a foreboding sense of destiny crept up on me, landing at the base of my skull, making my shoulders heavy. "You're getting awful close to talking about world domination," I felt the need to point out.

Walker grinned in amusement. "Nah. I'm not talking about ownership. I'm talking a community that works together. Each pack keeps its pack leader and territory, keeping to their own traditions as they see fit, able to change them as well. Just imagine…a network of wolves and vampires alike."

"What if one pack gets pissed and goes after another? Just let them duke it out? Or would someone intervene? That's Volturi talk right there. Having a ruling class of werewolf? Would it be us or you? No matter how we mate, the Quileutes may not always phase. A threat has to be imminent."

Walker shook his head. "There wasn't much of one when you kids phased. You were just pissed off, except Jules. Melice was the threat." He shook his head again. "Of course, I'm all talk right now. It's just a fantasy. Right now, I'm more concerned with my daughter and our home. I'm just trying to think a little ahead." Suddenly, he became serious, twirling that letter opener in his fingers. "Sooner or later, humans are going to get a whiff of the supernatural. When they do, it would be good to have that web of communication."

"You really think that'll happen in our lifetime?"

"It already is. The news is rife with unexplained murders. They know something is happening; they just don't have all the puzzle pieces. So many damned unsolved cases. It won't be long until werewolves start infiltrating human jobs on the police forces. It'll happen. It's just a matter of when. And whether or not the Volturi will get involved. That's another point in favor of making every pack in the States our allies; it'll protect them from those soulless bloodsuckers. We don't need them coming back here. Ever."

I shook my head. "They're not scared of us. Aro just made a deal with Mom. She didn't make the deal for the whole continent. That was Aro's whole point. He was worried we were setting up our own royalty over here. As long as none of us presented a threat to his rule or exposed ourselves to humans, he'd leave us alone."

Walker pointed the opener at me. "Royalty of vampires. Not werewolves. To him, we're nothing but guard dogs. We're not threats until our teeth are wrapped around their throats. But that's where you and your mom would come in. We wouldn't ally the packs to me or Rye, but to you. You are your mother's son as well as your father's and you're mated to a hybrid Child. That connects all the players on the board. Aro couldn't start a war anywhere on this continent without it spilling into the human world, and that's his one rule. Vampires stay out of human knowledge. The only way he'd break that rule is if he thought he could reconstruct the world order. But what he hasn't taken into account is that werewolves breed like cockroaches under a rock. Even with all the special vamps he has, he wouldn't win."

Lifting the glass, I considered all he'd said as I twirled the dark liquid inside.

I licked my lips and said something that could change our worlds. "You're talking about making me the gambit to a new world order of wolves. Not just _a_ king, but _the_ king."

Walker nodded. "A king of kings. Has a ring to it."

Sitting forward, I set the glass on the desk and shook my head. "I can't think about all that right now. We have time for this later. At the moment, I need to concentrate on Rye and this pack. I'm still learning the traditions. Hell, I don't even understand why this marking," I motioned to my neck, "is more binding than the ceremony."

"Blood is power. The more blood, the more power." He ducked his head. "When you marked each other, you took the other inside yourselves. The scaring itself is just a physical manifestation of your bond. The blood is the key both physically and metaphysically. Your blood has mixed; it's like making an imaginary baby. You've mixed your essences. Even if you're not around Ryell, others will know who your female is. You don't notice this, but your scent has changed, your permanent scent. And hers has, too, no doubt. The marking is the personal connection. The ceremony is about the public acknowledgement."

I flexed the fingers of my right hand. "And the burns?"

Walker shrugged. "Tradition. But it also symbolizes the strength of your bond. You burn together, you heal together. The binding represents the joining of two wolves and therefore two bloodlines."

"But I'm also part vampire."

He nodded. "That you are. That doesn't make a difference in this pack. All of them love you. But to other packs? The vampire part of you will make you just scary enough to make them wary of you."

Before I could say anything to that, my phone went off.

A grin on my face, I already knew who it was when I answered. "Shouldn't you still be asleep?"

"Well hello to you, too," Rye grumbled. "Where are you? Your spot on the bed is cold and this pillow doesn't have a heartbeat."

I smiled. "In your dad's office."

The line went quiet for a moment. "Everything okay?" she asked in a low, serious way.

I cleared my throat. "Yeah. Everything's fine. I just thought I'd let him know that we're taken care of, man to man."

"Okay," she said quietly before clearing her own throat and perking up. In the background, something that sounded like the sheets rustled. She must have still been in bed.

The thought made me hard even though I tried to stop it. I desperately avoided looking at her dad who was boring holes in my head.

 _Think of something else, idiot,_ I said to myself. Anything.

I'd almost succeeded when her voice came back.

"Anyway," Rye kept saying, "I'm assuming my mother doesn't know since she's not here wanting to take care of me and wanting to talk."

Moving around in the seat, I chuckled. "No. She's either still asleep or desperately trying not to listen at the door."

Walker laughed at that with a nod.

"Are you coming back?"

"I could. But you know," I said teasingly, "I could go to the shop for the day."

A growl rumbled through. "Don't. You. Dare. I want to enjoy this day before all hell breaks loose, fuck you very much."

With identical expressions of amused shock, Walker and I shared a look because he sure as shit heard that, too.

"Tsk, tsk," I scolded. "You know your dad can hear you, right?"

In her characteristic smartass way, she yelled, "Hi, Daddy!" then lowered her voice in a threatening growl. "Now, get your fine ass back to this cabin. I don't feel like sharing you today."

Shaking his head, Walker waved me off. "Just go before she starts in with visuals I don't need."

Chuckling, I stood up and reached over the desk so we could clasp forearms and a nod.

"Okay, okay, woman. I'm on my way back, I promise. Just…wait until I'm out of the house before you say anything obscene."

That rustling came again. "I will not make any such promises so you better walk faster there, stud."

Rolling my eyes, I waved to Walker before hurling myself out of the office and toward the front door. Christa was almost run over in my haste to get out of the house and back to my female. I vaguely heard her call after me but I was already making my way across the compound.

I couldn't _wait_ to get back in that bed.

 **AshPOV**

Often times, I forgot how Godawful dawn was. That was because I was rarely awake at that time, dead to the world and drooling all over Cole.

After Victoria had been driven off by her guards, Cole and I had shed our clothes and collapsed back into bed.

Now, I woke up to glorious late morning sun shining through the windows. We were expecting rain later in the day, but right now I'd enjoy the semi-warm beams that fell across the bed. Rolling away from Cole's very warm body onto my back, I put my arms over my head and stretched, arching up off the mattress. The sheet fell down to my thighs, the cool air in the house hitting my skin. It wasn't as cold as I normally liked because Toria was now in the house. Even though she'd said she didn't mind sleeping under a mountain of blankets, I'd still turned up the air up for her. I could crack a window.

"Mmm, that's one hell of a sight to wake up to."

Grinning, I looked over at Cole.

As usual, he was on his stomach, the pillow pressed into his face.

Those green eyes were still heavy with sleep. But as they traveled down my body, they glazed over with heat.

"You're hard," he said, voice rough with something close to need.

"Always am when I wake up next to you."

Sex aside, there was something to be said about waking up next to the person you loved most in the world. It was being able to look at them as soon as you wake up. And then seeing them wake up to look at you. It was that look that was so focused that you knew you wouldn't be able to concentrate on anything else until you knew they were safely beside you. That look that told you that a kiss was more important than the next breath.

Swallowing through a dry throat, I reached out to rub my thumb over his lower lip. "Are you just going to stare at me or do something about it?" I whispered hoarsely.

Instantly, he was on the move. Swimming through the sheets, he reached out for my hips to pull me against his body. We let out the same low groan as our erections pressed together, cradled by our hips.

"Fuck," he breathed.

I laughed. "Such a poetic way with words."

Growling in his human way, he tightened his hold on me and pressed my body back into the mattress as he fused our mouths together. His hips flexed up against mine, sending tingles through my cock to my gut and lower back.

Breaking the kiss, I pushed my head back into the pillow and groaned. Cole took that as his queue to move down my body, planting kisses and licks down my skin.

Putting my hands in his hair, we started the day off in the best possible way.

* * *

Sometime around noon, after we were both sated and sweaty, we laid together. Cole's head was on my chest, his thigh sprawled over my legs from where it landed in a flop after he'd rolled off of me.

I smiled at what we'd just done. He knew I loved sucking him off while looking up his body, my arms wrapped around his thighs. With me flat on my back and his practically sitting on my chest, he had all the leverage to be able to thrust in and out as he wanted, my hands restricted. It was a beautiful release of control on my part. It also helped that I loved how he looked at me from his height as if he owned me. Which, of course, he did.

Now, running my fingers over the sweaty nape of his neck, I asked, "Why haven't we had sex yet?"

I felt his frown against my chest as his fingers played over my hip. "What?"

"You heard me," I said, my voice low.

Cole went up on his elbow so that he could frown in my face. "What the hell? Where is that coming from? Especially after what we just did."

There was absolutely nothing fascinating about the ceiling as I stared up at it. "That's my point. We've been together four years and haven't gone the distance yet. Why? I mean, don't get me wrong; the foreplay is amazing, but-,"

In a tight grip, Cole took my chin and forced me to look at him. "Is this about Dox and Rye?"

And the moment he said it, I knew that's where this was coming from. The fact that my brother had lost his virginity last night made me feel utterly inadequate seeing as how Cole and I had been together much longer.

Even with my head immobile, I managed to look away from him. "We've been together longer. I just figured…by now…"

Pulling away from me, Cole sat up, putting his back to the headboard and wrapping the sheet around his hips. He ran a hand through his already messy hair. "I can't believe you're this insecure."

Frowning, I rolled onto my side. "But I'm not-,"

He cut me off. "Yes, you are. But I don't know why. I'm not the only one who makes our decisions, Ash."

And that was root of this problem, wasn't it?

Avoiding his eyes again, I drew designs on the sheet with my forefinger. "I know. It's just…with the bed stuff…"

"Ash, look at me. Talk to me."

The mattress was still warm from our bodies when I placed my palm against it. "I just knew that you wanted it to be special for us. But we've been playing now for years. I just thought you'd have a plan and take charge of that."

As if pushing away a thought, he held up his hand. "Hold on. You've been waiting on me?"

Taking a deep breath, I just started talking like he wanted me to. "Remember our first kiss? In the locker room?"

He nodded, eyes growing dark again. "Of course, I do. It was one of the best moments of my life. It was the first time I ever came out in any way."

The love and warmth in his voice pricked my eyes. Just a little.

Pushing past the emotion, I went on. "Well, you're the one who initiated it. And that made a statement to me. For me, that was, for lack of a better term, an imprint on me. I liked the control you had on me. I'm a leader. I was born and bred that way." I looked up at him. "But I trust you. And you know how much I like control in my life. Even if I'm not involved with things, I still like to be in the know so I'm never surprised. I'm organized with my work and ask the students I tutor to be just as organized with the subjects I tutor them on because I know that the organization helped me in school. You let me organize the house the way I wanted and you don't interfere when my siblings and I argue. But with the physical aspect of us, I like you to have that control because I feel like I'm floundering in being gay. I feel safe when I'm underneath your body, when you tell me what you want from me. Don't get me wrong, I love it when you want me to dominate you because sometimes I need it. Sometimes, even if it's not initially meant in a sexual way when I give you an order and you obey it…God, it turns me the fuck on. I don't know how to explain it, but most of the time I feel like everyone looks at us like I own you because you're human and I'm the son of the alpha. And a lot of the time, I feel like I have to own up to that. In here, with you, you get to own me, so it's like I'm also giving back to you in that way. I'm letting you hand out all that dominance you keep locked away around the pack."

Abruptly, I shut up and shook my head, feeling incredibly stupid. "I have no idea if I'm making any sense but…yeah. That's how I feel."

There was silence for the space of a few heartbeats. All I could think was that he was either going to knock me off my feet in one of two ways: good or bad. The worst would be him leaving me because I couldn't be what he needed me to be despite my imprinting on him.

His hand came into view, those long beautiful fingers going under my chin. This time they were gentler as they lifted my face. Cole's green eyes were soft, worried, and full of love. "Hey, don't do that. Don't demean yourself."

"How did you know?"

"Because after four years, I know you better than you think I do." Sinking lower in the bed so that we could have better eye contact, he ordered in a low tone, "Now, I want you to listen to me, Ash Black. There is absolutely nothing wrong with anything you just said. I hold back in front of the pack and family because I know you're perfectly capable of making your own arguments. And I know everything you just told me, but didn't see it until you just said it. I'm so sorry for that. I'm so sorry that you've felt inadequate, because you're not. There have been several times I've wanted to get inside you, today being one of them. Hell, every time we're together, I want you something fierce."

Relief pounded through me so hard that I thought I was going to pass out. This was the best way to get knocked off my feet.

Leaning in, I pressed my lips to his softly. "Then next time we have a morning like this," I whispered, "do what you want with me."

Cole seemed to have a mini-orgasm at that. His eyes rolled back, body going tense. I smiled as I watched him. My man was fucking hot in the passion he felt for me and it felt good to see him like that. Just the thought of me submitting to him in that moment got him all hot and bothered. Made me wonder what the actual event was going to be like if just the thought had Cole like this.

When he composed himself again, I kissed him. "I love you, and you're all I need. I don't need a special occasion or anything like that. I just need you. I'm still struggling with this for some reason. You're not, and I need that strength more than you could possibly understand. I can't lose you due to me not being able to be gay enough for you."

That cracked him. Cole's expression went from warm love and understanding to trying not to bust out laughing. But the grin slowly took over his lips, the humor shining out from his eyes. He wrapped me up in his arms and rolled so that I was pulled on top of him.

"Oh, Ash," he laughed. "You're so smart, but damn you say the dumbest things." He fell into belly-rolling laughter and pressed his face into my hair. There was no way to be angry when he whispered, "I love you, my alpha. And you will _always_ be gay enough for me. Don't you worry about that." Pulling back, he looked down at me. "I will promise you that we will have our moment. Soon. I had no idea you felt the way you do, but now that we've gotten here, I feel better about where are. And as much as I'd like to, we can't do anything about this now. We promised Jules to help with the wedding. Plus, we have to go see Alice for our tux fittings." Cupping my face, he gave me serious eye contact before lowering his voice. His thumb ran across my lower lip. "But I promise that I _will_ have you."

At the promise in his deep voice, I shivered in his arms.

Cole gripped the hair at my nape and pulled my face up to his. "Let's get a shower," he said in a low voice.

I nodded and struggled to breathe.

He kissed me once, twice…aaannnd a third time before letting me go so he could roll out from under me.

I smiled as I rolled onto my back. There was now a different set to his shoulders, a hitch in his step as he walked around our room to gather up clothes for both of us. He was feeling the dominance of us I'd given to him. This was going to be good for us. Cole needed something in our relationship to have control over, and this was the best thing to give him. Here, in our home, he could be the protective, dominant male. And once he joined Walker's pack becoming more durable, I'd be okay with him carrying that dominance with him outside the house.

For now, though, I had to keep him safe in the background.

 **BraydenPOV**

"Ow," I hissed.

"I swear," Alice Cullen said from around the pins between her lips, "all you men can handle getting beaten to bloody pulps and numerous broken bones, but heaven forbid you get a pinprick. Hold still."

It was clear by her tone that she'd had this conversation many times over many years.

From the couch, Will laughed as he bounced Cordy in his lap.

I shot my best friend and best man a glare. "I hope she stabs you just for shits and giggles."

Behind his daughter's back, Will flipped me off.

At my feet where Will couldn't see her, I caught Alice's smirk. She winked up at me.

"Watch your language around my kid," Will said with a smirk as Cordy wriggled off his lap and went to mess with Emmett while he played video games with Gage and Jason.

Giving him a dry look, I shook my head. "She's heard worse from you."

My goddaughter had grown so much in her three years of being around. She had a head full of red and black hair, her eyes a dark olive green. She was the perfect mix of her parents. I could see them both in her. Her mischievous nature reminded me of Will from when we were younger and always getting into trouble. Now, his daughter was just like him. She owned the hearts of every male in the Black pack and Cullen coven. Any one of us would die to protect her. And because of that, she knew, even at three almost four years old, that she could get away with just about anything. Especially with Jacob as her grandfather.

Smirking, Will shook his head and laughed as Cordy picked her person for the day. That was a habit of hers. Sometimes she would cry for hours until the person she wanted came around. Will's house was often a revolving door of people until the right one came through and she quieted down. Today, it seemed that Emmett was her choice for the day. No doubt we guys would be here all day getting measured and fitted for our tuxes, which was why we were all here so early. Cordy would have hours with her person until she grew tired enough that Will could sneak her out while she napped. If the system worked, don't break it.

A shot of jealousy made me grumpy. I'd been her person until Alice had forced me into the penguin suit. "You know Jules and Piper are expecting more Cordys from you."

Will rolled his toffee-colored eyes. "Yeah, we'll get right on that." Then he sighed. "We've been trying, actually. It's just…not happening." Lifting his right hand, he traced the mating scars that wove around his fingers and palm.

Suddenly feeling for him, I said, "It'll happen, man. I mean, look at me and Jules. Surprisingly, we haven't conceived yet. I know she wants one. We all want to start families and have our kids grow up together. If it's a real concern, maybe you can talk to Mara? She's been more amicable toward us lately. I'm sure she'd help."

It was actually a real concern for all pack couples. Because of our body heat, we couldn't wear condoms even if only one half of the couple was a wolf. The females ran hot, too. And no amount of birth control would help either. Something about pack blood rendered it useless. So the fact that the rez wasn't overrun with kids was surprising with the amount of sex we all had. Jules and I had sex at least once a day, and we weren't trying for kids. Not yet. So that meant that if Will and Hunter were trying, they were going at it whenever they had a free moment away from Cordy. And given the amount of people who loved her and wanted to be around her, that was a lot of free time for the two of them.

But Will didn't answer. He just went to twirling his wedding ring on his left hand. He and Hunter had had both a wedding and a mating ceremony, so they both bore the burning scars as well as rings.

I had no more assurances to give so I just stood there and watched him.

After a couple moments, he pulled himself out with strained smile. "I'm sorry I dragged the mood down. We're getting ready for your wedding to my sister. I should be ribbing on you."

I chuckled. "Nah. You do that enough. And don't worry about it. We're all family in this house." I gave him a serious look. "Do you think that, maybe, Cordy's birth may have had an effect on Hunter?"

He nodded. "Yeah, she was the one to think of it. Carlisle said all her tests came back normal, though. And everything internally looked good. Her genes healed her up." His gaze moved to Cordy, who was draped around Emmett's neck. Will lowered his voice. "I think it's punishment."

My brows cranked down so hard, I gave myself a headache. "What the hell are you talking about?" I hissed.

He lifted those eyes to me. They were so fucking sad. "Fate or whatever. Punishing me for how I acted when Cordy was born. It was such a bastard thing for me to do, to blame my newborn child for nearly taking away my mate. Like Cordy could help it? It still haunts me, how I treated her." He sat forward on the couch toward me. "For God's sake, I wouldn't even hold my own kid. I didn't even watch her be born, and I hate myself for it."

When I fully turned to face him, Alice came with me without a snide comment. She knew this conversation was too important. "Will, come on, don't think like that. I mean, you've more than made up for that. It was painful to see it, but I completely understood where you were coming from. I really did. Nothing is punishing you. You're a good man, a good husband, and a damn good father to that baby girl. Look, everybody gets worried when they're with someone they love, want kids, and it doesn't happen. Hunter got pregnant with Cordy not long after the two of you started sleeping together. It's a blessing that you have her. To be honest, I'm surprised this place isn't like a rabbit farm or something with kids everywhere. It's a good thing that we don't knock up our females like that."

At that, all the males in the room chuckled.

Jason nodded. "For real," he muttered. "Piper and I wouldn't need our little pack if that was the case. We'd have birthed our own army by now."

Pointedly, I growled at him.

His blue eyes shifted over as he shrugged. "Just stating a fact."

Rolling my eyes, I shook my head. Even though I was exasperated, he was actually right. The same could be said for me and Jules.

With a real smile, Will stood up and pushed his hands out. "Okay, okay. Enough. This isn't what this is supposed to be about today. We're supposed to be happy and just hanging out. So, in that spirit, I need a drink. Hey, Uncle Emmett, will you watch out for Cordy?"

Emmett tried to give him a dry look over his shoulder around Cordy. "I really don't think she's giving me a choice at this point, so, sure. I'll watch your brat while you drink." He said all of this with affection, of course.

Will laughed. "Thanks." As he passed them, he patted Cordy's bottom playfully.

Giggling, she swatted at him at the same time he made a face at her.

While he went into the kitchen, I heard the front door open. A moment later, Ash and Cole walked in, their hands twined together. There was something different about them, besides the public hand-holding. Usually, they kept the PDA nonexistent no matter who they were around even though everyone accepted them. Now, it was Cole holding Ash's hand. It was in the way they stood that I could tell which was doing the holding. It was the same way with me and Jules. But there was something else, some sort of surety that hadn't been there before whenever I'd see them out and about together. Whatever it was, though, I liked it. They deserved to feel like they could be who they were around their families.

When I stared at Ash, he stood taller, chin up. Cole smirked at him.

I grinned. "Hey, guys. Here for your fitting?"

"Of course," Ash said as he came over and scooped Cordy off Emmett's head. He lifted her up, nibbled her neck, and lowered her like she was a barbell. A high-pitched giggle was muffled against his chest. "We can't have Jules or Aunt Alice coming after us."

"Got that right," Alice muttered. Then she patted my thigh. "Okay, you're done. Go ahead and get out of it. Will, put that beer down and go change."

There was a groan from the kitchen and then he was hustling out before she could yell at him. I walked carefully to one of the extra rooms on the bottom floor to change. It was tricky to get out of the pants without giving myself a blood test with all the pins, but I managed. Back in my jeans, I took the pants back to her so she could put them up in the garment bag.

Cole now had Cordy and was swinging her around.

"Ash, where is your twin?" Alice asked.

I saw the two guys give each other a look.

Ash lifted a shoulder. "My guess? Probably locked up in his cabin with Ryell."

We all stopped what we were doing and stared at him. Even Emmett, Jason, and Gage had paused their game to look up.

"What?" I asked. "I mean, they finally…?"

Ash nodded. "It got pretty ugly a couple nights ago and it needed to happen so…here we are." Before anyone could say anything, he looked up and smiled. "Hey, Grams."

Bella was coming down the stairs with Rosalie, Aunt Ness, and Jules following. They each had their arms packed with bags and boxes. Bella grinned. "Hey, guys. How are you?"

Cole smiled and took Ash's hand again. "We're good. How 'bout you?"

The woman's smile turned even brighter. She'd noticed the difference in them, too. "I'm awesome. Waiting for Alice to get her hands on you?"

They both nodded.

"Hey, did Jules remember to ask you about the cottage?" Ash asked with a smile toward his sister.

Jules shot him a glare as she came over to stand with me.

Bella laughed. "Yeah, she did. It was an excellent idea on your part. Edward and I would love it."

As they talked, I looked down at my mate.

Pure, undiluted love poured through me. She was absolutely glowing, excited that everything was finally falling into place. The wedding was now planned for three weeks from now, and I couldn't freaking wait. Though she'd always be a Black by reputation, birth, and status, she was going to legally become a Clearwater. My mother was beside herself to have another girl in the family since my sister was soon going to become a Govain when she mated Jason after Jules and I got married. Where Piper identified more with the Children, I was more like the Quileute side of our shared hybrid nature so therefore, I got the wedding and Piper got the mating. But of course, she could have a wedding if she wanted. But we were all thinking that the mating was going to be enough for her. I knew it would be for Jason. He was born and raised a Child so the mating ceremony was all he knew.

Jules's hand on my chest was a warm, heavy weight.

I looked down at her and wrapped an arm around her waist.

"You get fitted?" she asked.

I nodded. "Yeah, I think she's wanting to get everyone's measurements before working on them. Will is up next."

"Ah." Going up on her toes, she rubbed her body against mine before pressing her lips to mine. "Then I guess I won't see you until tonight. Mom, Piper, and I are going to run out to Port Angeles to pick up a few things. We might have to go to Seattle."

Pulling her tighter against me, I brushed her hair back. "Be careful?"

She grinned. "Always."

"Thank you," I whispered as I leaned in to kiss her. God, I couldn't wait to get home tonight. We hadn't been together this morning so I was craving her something fierce. "I'll see you tonight."

She gave me two more pecks before pulling away. "Love you."

"Love you, too."

And then she was leaving. The others said bye and good luck before following her out.

"Alright, Will, get in here," Alice called.

Groaning, Will walked back into the room with the suit pants on. "This sucks."

"You think?" Gage said. "I'm not even in the wedding party. I shouldn't have to do this."

Alice glared at him. "Anyone sitting in the front rows is getting fitted. As a blooded relation to Bray, you will be in one of those rows. Now, hush, and play your games. You're next."

My cousin rolled his eyes.

He wasn't wrong though. Aside from me and Jules, there were only two other people in the wedding party: Will and Piper. Will was my best man and Piper was Jules's Maid of Honor. Jules had wanted to keep things small but she'd still wanted those two roles filled because the people who filled them meant so much to both of us.

"Might as well get comfortable," I said to Ash and Cole. "We're all gonna be here for a while." Following Will's lead, I went into the kitchen grab a drink. Nerves were a wonderful excuse. The fact that the suits were happening and that Jules had just left with a huge garment bag that had her dress in it made all of this all too real. Going from boyfriend to husband in less than a month was a huge deal to me, and I absolutely couldn't wait. Soon, I'd have my ring on my finger.

"So, how's Victoria?" Jason was asking as I walked back into the living room.

Cole sat next to Ash on the couch, Cordy crawling into his lap. "She went back to work today, so I guess we'll hear all about it tonight. She hasn't called with any news. Just a text to check in every hour or so."

Jason nodded. "My guys will take care of her. I told them that if she starts getting agitated to just back off for a bit. No need to stress her out."

"Thanks for that."

Jason nodded. "No problem. I remember how my mom was when she'd been pregnant with Liam. Stress is not good whether the female is human or wolf."

I chuckled and sat down on the loveseat. "Just remember this, Jason. We'll be giving you the same speech when you're pissing my sister off when you two finally have a kid. You're gonna drive her crazy."

Jason lifted a shoulder in a shrug, his eyes still on the TV. "As long as she listens and does what I tell her to, we won't have a problem."

I snorted as I took a drink. "Have you even met her? My sister is not going to take orders from anyone except a doctor when she gets pregnant. You, my friend, are not going to be telling her to do anything."

"Well, as long as she listens to someone, I'll be okay."

"Good answer," Will said. "You be sure to remember that when you're freaking out about impending dad-hood."

Pausing the game, Jason turned around. "Is it really that bad?"

Will shrugged. "For me, yeah. I was always worried, especially right before the birth. Cordy was growing so fast and Hunter's blood intake wasn't enough to keep up. It scared the hell out of me because Hunter could only handle my blood. She couldn't drink from anything or anybody else. Not that I would have wanted her at someone else's throat." He looked at his daughter in Ash's arms. "Though Cordy only has a very small part of vampire in her, it's pronounced. I feed her from my glass just like Mom and Dad used to do for me and my siblings. With you and Piper, it may not be that bad. It'll be a normal pack pregnancy. With vampires, everything is chance. But you two should be okay. You'll probably handle it much better than I did because you've been around that block."

"Yeah, but my mother died giving birth to Liam."

"Piper's strong," I said. "She has the link to you and to her pack. She gained even more power. Besides, with that power to heal, I'm sure she'd make it through. My sister is a fighter. She wouldn't leave her kid and sure as hell wouldn't leave you. In all honesty, she'd probably become more submissive during a pregnancy so she'd probably listen to you. She's tough but she's not stupid."

As everybody nodded in agreement, the front door opened again. A moment later, Nechole Call walked in, holding a box of supplies. She was Embry's oldest daughter and looked more like her father than her mother, who was as light as Embry was dark. Nechole had dark brown, nearly black hair. Her eyes were a pretty dark brown and shining bright as she took in the room. She was breathing hard, her cheeks flushed as if she'd run all the way up here. She probably had. I could tell that her body was changing so that meant she was more than likely on the verge of phasing or shifting. The Quileute gene had evolved over the decades so that it no longer needed a threat to be triggered.

"Hey, Alice," she said breathlessly. "I picked up what you needed on the rez."

Alice's eyes shined. "Awesome. You can put them on the table."

As she walked into the room, Gage studiously ignored her. He'd started messing with a pull on the rug under his feet.

"Anything else you need?" she asked.

Alice smiled. "No, honey. Thanks for bringing them up."

Nechole beamed. "Not a problem. I was going for a run and thought I'd stop in to see if they were done."

Sitting forward in my seat, I looked at the box. "What is it?"

Nechole narrowed her eyes and snatched up the box. "Nunya. Hey, Alice, I'm gonna go put these in your room."

"Good idea."

The girl sprinted upstairs and was back down two minutes later.

"I'll see you later, Alice. Let me know if you need anything else."

"I will. Thanks so much."

On her way out, Nechole looked over. "Hey, Gage."

I watched as he struggled to compose his expression before smiling up at her. "Hey, Nechole. How ya doin'?"

She nodded, biting her bottom lip. "Good, I guess. Finishing up school. I'll be done soon."

Gage nodded. "That's good."

When the conversation fizzled and Gage looked away, I saw the expression on her face before she left with less enthusiasm than she'd come in with.

Ah, so this was Gage's female problems. Months ago, when Jules and I had been fighting and I'd ended up staying with Caden and Leah, Gage had mentioned he had it bad for a female but that she was seeing someone else. And I knew that he'd phased since that conversation. My heart hurt for my cousin as it dawned on me that he must have imprinted on Nechole. And either he hadn't told her or she'd chosen to stay with the boyfriend. My guess was he hadn't told her. I doubted Nechole would be so heartless. But the look she'd given him before she left…she knew. She knew how he felt. Gage had too much of a heart to put her in a position to choose, so he kept his mouth shut and suffered.

Will, Ash, and I shared a look.

"You didn't tell her?" Ash asked.

Gage just shook his head, his shoulders slumping.

"You wanna talk about it?" I asked.

"There's nothing to talk about. And I'd appreciate if we could avoid the comparison theory, Bray. This is not the same as you and Jules."

I stared at him. "I didn't tell Jules and we were both miserable."

Lifting his gaze, he glared at me, motioning toward the door. "Did she seem miserable to you? My situation is not yours with Jules. Jules wasn't with someone else when you imprinted on her. She wasn't in love with someone else."

A growl wanted to come up my throat but I held it back. "Look, what do you think is going to happen when she phases or shifts and figures out what you are to her? You've known for months, Gage, which means -,"

Gage jumped to his feet. "Can we not talk about this? Today is supposed to be for you."

"No, my wedding day is about me and Jules. Today as well as every day is about family."

He took a deep breath. "I appreciate that you want to help me, and I realize I screwed up. That's why I'm not saying anything, especially now. I waited too long and if I told her now, it would hurt her even more. I can't and won't do that to her. Absolutely not. I'll just suffer in silence."

I raised my hands. "Alright, I'll let it go."

"Thanks. Mom has been hounding me, asking me about whatever is wrong with me. I just can't talk about it. It's going to be bad when she changes. I already know that. Nechole is a very dominant female. She won't like that I lied to her by not telling her."

I sighed. "Well, if you need anything, we're here for you. All of us."

Every guy in the room nodded. Even Cole and Emmett.

"I appreciate it. Really. Now, have you and Jules figured out what you're doing for a honeymoon?"

As I shook my head, Cordy came walking over and I had to lift the bottle out of her reach. "Jules said _somebody_ is paying for all of it, but won't tell me what it is. She only knows because her mom let something slip and she figured it out. Probably why she was aiming for us to get married so quickly." With that, I looked over at Ash and Cole. "Thanks for helping her out."

Ash shrugged. "We're gay. Apparently we're supposed to know what we're doing. So if something goes wrong, don't blame us."

My brows went up as we all chuckled.

Cole shook his head and looked at his mate. "Everything's going to be fine. With all these females in charge, I doubt anybody will even dare sneeze at the wrong time."

"Good," Ash growled. "Anybody messes up my sister's wedding and I'm liable to get violent."

Will nodded in agreement. "True that." He lifted his bottle to me. "The two of you deserve this to go perfectly."

"Especially Jules," I added. "After all she risked for us, my female deserves anything she wants."

In front of me, Cordy was pulling my wrist. "Bay, Bay!"

"What, sweetie?"

With a fierce expression of effort, she yanked hard on my arm. "Pay wif me!"

Chuckling, I set my beer on a taller table and got down onto the floor. Immediately, she started giggling and running off out of reach. So she wanted me to chase her.

As the rest of the guys laughed and caught baby fever, I let out a playful growl and went after my goddaughter.


	9. Chapter 9

**Yes! I am aware I just posted yesterday! So read read read! Yes, I'm also aware that this chapter is super short compared to what you're used to getting from me. However, I felt like because this chapter comes to an important part in the lives of one of our couples, it needed to end where it did. Just know, I'm already working on the next one! I guess I'm trying to make up for being gone so long. These are my apology offerings.**

 **Please Enjoy!**

* * *

 **RyellPOV**

Dox and I watched the light fade from the ceiling in his cabin as the sun set. We were still on the bed, tangled up in the sheets. Languidly, I ran my hand down his chest and stomach and back up again. I loved touching him, feeling his strength under my hands. This person was all mine now. Every inch of him belonged to me just as I belonged to him. No male or man would ever touch me again without severe consequence, and if a female ever dared to touch him with my mark on his neck, I wouldn't play nicely.

"I was supposed to get fitted today for the wedding," he said in a low voice.

Sliding my cheek on his shoulder, I looked up at his face. "Why didn't you tell me?"

He frowned. "I forgot until just now. I'll go see Alice tomorrow. Ash probably told her where I was which is why she didn't come drag me to the house."

I laughed and wrapped my arm around his waist, squeezing him. "Sorry. I didn't even think about that."

He shrugged as best he could and tightened his hold on me. "They understand. Don't worry about it."

Going up on my elbow, I looked down at him. "Are you okay? You've been quiet since we settled."

Shifting around, he put a hand behind his head and finally looked at me. He pushed my hair over my shoulder, caressing my skin where he touched me. "Just thinking about something your dad and I talked about."

"Which is?"

He shook his head. "It's not important."

"Bullshit," I growled. "Dox, we just leveled up in this relationship. Don't think that I'm not aware what us marking each other means. I'm not stupid. It was a big deal when Haleigh came home with Garrett's scars in her skin. So I know that Dad saw yours. We can't lead this pack if we don't talk to each other. You don't have to protect me. What did he say?"

Under my palm, his chest lifted with a deep breath. "In a nutshell, he said we'll have to have a coming out party since the pack will see the marks. He also said that our mating could open some serious doors for alliances."

I frowned. "How so?"

"I'm vampire and Quileute getting mated to the hybrid Child and Quileute heir. Because of our mating, I'll be an honorary member of the Children and leader to two packs. As Walker put it, that connects all the players on the board. My vampire blood would make other packs wary to screw with us. And if we have alliances across the U.S. Aro can't touch us without breaking his number one rule. Your dad also talked about humans learning about the supernatural soon, and he's not wrong. All the stories on the news of unexplainable murders, animal attacks, and blood drained. The supernatural world is getting closer and closer to piercing the veil, so to speak."

Holding the sheet to my chest, I slumped a little, lost in thought. "Dad is talking about a new world order," I whispered.

Dox nodded. "And with me being the one connected to all the species…"

"You'd be king."

Sensing my freak out, he wrapped his arms around me and brought me back down to his chest. He kissed the top of my head. "Don't overthink it, Rye. All that is a long way off. Right now, I want to concentrate on us. We have survive Jules's wedding, Piper's mating, and then our coming out party, which your dad wants right after her mating. So right now, we have a bit of time to enjoy all this before we have emissaries and pack leaders prowling around."

"But the markings…"

"Walker wants news to get out that you've claimed your mate. He wants the rumor to spread before we invite them here for the party. And then we'll announce an engagement. Our ally packs will have to come. There won't be a small mating ceremony."

With that, a pain settled in my chest. I should have known better than to hope for something small and intimate. From what Dad had explained, I was the most powerful alpha female who was going to inherit a pack on the west coast. Many pack leaders either wanted me as a mate for themselves or for their alpha sons. But Dad had always refused, telling them that I was already being courted and it was serious. No doubt they'd all want to see who I was being mated to, so Dox and I would be paraded around. Instead of happy, the weeks after Piper's mating were going to be tense with emissaries. The mating would be even worse with several packs camping out in our woods. The thought made my heart break because it was supposed to be a beautiful moment between two mates, not a show.

"Hey," Dox said softly. His fingers came up to wipe my cheeks and that's when I realized I'd started crying. "Hey," he said again. "It'll be okay."

Angrily, I pushed his hands away and swiped at my own skin. Then I sat up, wrapping my arms around my knees. "No. It won't. Our mating is going to be a joke, a political show of power, not something beautiful like it's supposed to be. Like Piper's is going to be. People we don't know will be gawking at us and our scars. They'll be watching our every move, judging us. That is _not_ what I want for us."

Dox sat up, too, and rubbed my back. "They're our allies."

"I don't care."

Tilting my face up to his, he met my gaze. "Listen to me, our families are going to have front row seats. I won't compromise on that even if it's taken as an insult. The people we love will surround us while our allies will watch from a distance. I will not let your mating day turn into a spectacle. Do you hear me, Rye? We will make it our own whether they like it or not because that's who we are as a pack, as a family. It's how we run our camp. Our allies will just have to accept that. We'd have to follow their rules and traditions if we're ever invited to their matings and gatherings."

The sincerity in those dark eyes had my chest loosening from the hard grip of suffocation. I could breathe again because of him. I could take a deep breath because my mate did not break his promises. Ever. And what he'd just said had been more than a promise, but a vow to me. A vow from a subject to a royal. We both knew that no matter what the future held for us, I was the leading ruler of this pack. I was going to be queen and Dox was basically king-consort. The only part of me that would keep me from creating that large alliance would be the fact that I didn't have vampire blood. In his vow, Dox was telling me that I was his queen and I would come before him. Always. He respected my position and my power just as I respected his with the Quileute pack. In that world, I was consort to his alpha, and I was okay with that.

I put my palm against his cheek. "I love you so much," I whispered.

Taking my hand, he kissed my palm. "And I you, Ryell. I will not let our positions ruin what we have. And if it's this important to you, we can do what Will and Hunter did: have a mating _and_ a wedding. One for show and one for us, for you."

My breath hitched. "You would do that?"

He smirked. "Rye, when are you going to understand that I would do anything for you?"

Leaning in, I pressed my lips to his. "You are the best gift. I can't do this without you."

"And you won't have to. I won't leave you."

The rest of the tension left my body, leaving behind a buzzing emptiness. "And I won't leave you. I don't think there's another male on this planet who could love me better than you do."

A low growl slipped between his teeth. "We won't ever find out." He leaned in to kiss me before rolling off the bed. "Come on. Let's get a shower and then some food. If I'm this hungry, I know you are."

I swallowed hard. "A shower? Together?"

He gave me a look. "After all we've done today in this bed, you're worried about a shower together?"

At first, I looked at the hand he held out and then out to his body. He was already getting hard. But I noticed there was dried blood on his hips. We'd been rough and I knew there was more between my thighs from the loss of my virginity last night plus what we did today. Dox had taken a shower before he left this morning, so the blood he had now was from during the day.

After a moment, he frowned and looked down his body. I knew when he saw what I did because he hissed. Leaning over the bed, he pulled the sheet sway from my chest and body. Surprising myself, I let him open my legs and thighs.

"Shit," he whispered, instantly worried. "Are you okay? God, I didn't even think…"

I stopped his hand from where it was tracing my inner thigh. "I'm fine. Honestly, I don't feel any pain."

His gaze was intense as he looked at me. "Are you sure." It was a demand.

Smiling a little, I nodded. "Of course. I wouldn't lie to you, especially about this. Are you okay?"

Dox snorted. "I'm fine. I'm just worried about you."

"Dox, I'm okay. This doesn't really surprise me. We went at it for hours and hours, and not gently."

My mate took a deep breath before nodding. "Okay. I won't argue even though I want to. You know your body better than I do."

At that, I laughed and let him help me off the bed. "Oh, I don't know about that. You found some hot spots that I didn't even know I had."

Purring, he brought my body against his. "I enjoyed finding them."

"Me, too."

Between us, our stomachs rumbled at the same time.

I laughed. "Okay, let's get a shower and food."

Dox pressed that luscious mouth to mine. "Your wish is my command."

 **VictoriaPOV**

The sun was setting as Nik drove back toward Forks and the compound.

I was utterly exhausted and must have fallen asleep on the drive back because the next thing I knew, we were pulling into the driveway and Mark was opening the door for me.

I took his hand because I was just that tired. Even the baby was quiet inside me as if he were just as worn out. I smiled up at the enforcer. "Thank you."

He smiled back. "You're welcome. Get some rest and we'll see you tomorrow."

I tried to ignore the flutter in my tummy under the baby weight. Mark was exceptionally handsome with sandy brown hair, hazel eyes, and sharp features. It also wasn't a bad thing that he had the body to go with his position. He was built like a tank, but I knew firsthand that those hands were also gentle.

Gathering my stuff, I walked around and said goodbye to Nik as well. They both waited in front of the SUV as I walked into the house through the side door. Ash and Cole were in the kitchen, moving around and cooking dinner.

Smiling, I put my stuff on the bar. "Smells amazing in here."

They both whipped around, blinking in surprise.

Ash frowned and turned back to stare at the door. "Did you seriously just walk past us?"

Grinning, I nodded. "Yep."

"Some werewolf I am," he muttered darkly before smiling back at me. "Are Jason's guys still out there?"

I nodded. "And waiting on you, I assume. I didn't hear them take off."

While he went outside to get a report on the day, I was left with Cole.

"So," he asked. "How was it?"

"Good," I answered, rubbing my belly. "I'm exhausted but it felt good to be back. Mark would barely let me lift a file folder let alone a box of them."

Cole nodded his approval. "Good. I like him."

I gave him a look. "I'm not fragile, Cole."

"You are until Carlisle clears you of everything."

"He's right," Ash said when he came back inside.

"Any problems?" Cole asked him.

Ash went back to chopping up some basil and shook his head. "Nik said all was clear. No signs of your parents prowling around."

Something in my gut eased. I'd been too scared to ask my guards if there had been any trouble because I didn't want to know how in danger I was. To some, it seemed silly, but I, as well as Cole, knew how violent our father could be, how cruel our mother was.

The baby kicked hard again, just as he'd been doing all day. Hissing, I rubbed soothingly, trying to calm him.

Ash looked over sharply, his brows cranked down. "You okay?"

Smiling tightly, I nodded. "Yeah. He's just been really active today." Sitting on one of the bar seats, I leaned on my forearms. "So did you guys talk about it?"

Cole gave me a warning look. "No. We didn't have the time or privacy. Alice had to fit us for the wedding and this isn't something we want everyone hearing about until we're ready."

Knowing I wouldn't get anywhere with him, I looked to Ash. "What about you? What do you think?"

He shared a look with my brother before speaking. "Cole and I do need to talk about this, just the two of us. But for right now…I don't know, Toria. What you're asking of us isn't some small favor. It's a kid's life and sanity. And it's me lying that I'm the donor to your surrogate. You've gotta think about this. I'm an alpha by birth. Your son is not my blood so he won't be. He won't be like Cordy and any other kids born to my siblings. I get that you want to involve me, make me feel more like a part of this, and I appreciate it. But I don't think I could go with that lie. I'd be okay with you saying you're a surrogate and having a donor for us. But we can't say that I am that donor. He would grow up thinking something is wrong with him."

Instead of trying to argue like I would have done before the pregnancy, I stopped and thought about his reasons. They were all solid. The boy would grow up to think something was wrong with him if he didn't have the kind of power his cousins did. It only made sense to say that the donor was someone else. Besides, maybe someday I could actually carry a child for Ash if they really wanted one of the alpha line. I had to say that I wasn't too opposed to the idea. Not for them.

So I nodded. "Okay. I can understand that. As long as he's taken care of, I really don't care what you tell him."

They both looked at me in surprise.

I shrugged. "It makes sense. As long as you guys are considering taking him, I can deal with whatever you want to tell him."

"Thank you," Cole said. "And I promise we'll talk about it. Lately, we've been so busy-,"

"I know," I said, reaching out over the counter. He took my hand and I continued. "I know you have. So I'm especially grateful for all you've done for me already. You're both wonderful, which is why I know this kid would be in great hands. Raised right, it won't matter if he doesn't carry alpha blood. He'll still be a Black and respected for it. I mean, I'm assuming you'll be taking Ash's name when you get married…or mated. Whatever."

Cole smiled. "Yeah, I will be."

Behind him, Ash frowned. "We haven't talked about that, either."

My brother gave his boyfriend a stern look. "I'm taking your name. Nothing to discuss."

Ash's brows shot up to his hairline. "Okay, then. If that's what you want."

While watching them, a grin spread my lips. I loved seeing them like this. Already, these two men were my family. Cole always had been but he was different now that he was with Ash. And I loved how strong he was now. I also liked that Ash didn't seem to mind that my brother wasn't a pushover. Cole had always been a fighter, but now he didn't take any shit at all.

"It is," Cole answered.

Ash nodded as if that settled that issue. Then he turned back to the stove. "Dinner's ready."

As a family, we all set the table, washed up, and sat down.

 **ColePOV**

After dinner, the three of us sat in the living room and caught up on all the TV shows we'd been missing. Then Ash and I forced Toria to go to bed. She looked exhausted and needed sleep. She'd kissed us both on the cheeks went for her bedroom.

That was ten minutes ago and Ash and I were sitting on the couch with no other sound than the fire crackling. It had been a long fucking day of getting poked with pins and modeling the suits for everyone. Alice was never happy until Esme had stepped in. Man, that woman was a saint.

"If you want to do it, I'm okay with it," Ash said quietly beside me.

I frowned before I understood what he was talking and then nearly gave myself whiplash with how sharply I looked at him. "What?"

He tilted his head toward Victoria's room. "The baby. If she still wants to give him up after he's born, I'm okay with us taking him."

"Really?" I asked breathlessly.

He nodded. "Of course. He's your blood, Cole. And I know you. You couldn't turn him away. Hell, if something had happened to Hunter and Will hadn't wanted Cordy, someone in our family would have taken her. There's no way any of us would have let her go. And Toria is right; she'd struggle to be a mom. She doesn't have footing in her own life. I mean, I'm not saying we wouldn't be there for her if she decided to be his mom. Absolutely, I'd be his uncle. No questions asked. I just know that, right now, she's adamant, so we might as well come to a decision now. We'll be prepared for whatever happens."

For a moment, I just stared at him. Then I said what was really on my mind. "I've always wanted kids, but I didn't think it would happen this fast. I thought you and I would have more time together before we even talked about it, so I guess it's bittersweet making this decision. But thank you. I would want to take him."

Ash reached out to rub my thigh. "The moment the two of you came in this house and told me what you'd discussed, I knew what we would choose. I still want her to make the final decision. Having a kid might help her figure out what she wants out of life."

Taking his hand, I nodded. "I agree. But still…thank you." As the answer settled in my chest, I looked toward her room. "God, just think. In less than four months, we could be dads," I said softly.

Ash tilted his head. "Life is strange like that. It usually gives us what we want but not in the ways we expect."

For a moment, we both sat there contemplating that.

"Come on," I said with a squeeze of his fingers. "Let get to bed. I'm beat."

We both got up to turn out lights and put the fire out. Then we walked hand in hand to our bedroom.

After our conversation this morning, I was already thinking about being with Ash, but not tonight. We were both too tired to enjoy it.

So for now, my imagination was just going to have to get me through until I felt the moment was right for us. Ash wanted me in charge of that part of our life, so I would be because he trusted me to.

In bed, Ash fell asleep first with a content smile on his face like he'd had a good, full day. Which we had spending it with Bray and Will and the guys.

I watched him sleep until my lids grew too heavy and I fell into the most peaceful sleep I'd had in days.

* * *

 **Y'all know I love you guys! And I live for review so please leave me something! Love you so much! xoxoxoxo**


	10. Chapter 10

**Woohoo! Yay for spring break and more time. I'm so glad that you guys are starting to love this story. I admit, the beginning was a little eh. So I'm trying to spice things up and move things around. I have some serious plans for this story and I'm trying to get to them. So for now, this chapter is an extra that is somewhat important if only because we're introduced to a certain character.**

 **Happy reading!**

 **Please Enjoy!**

* * *

 **A Week Later…**

 **EmbryPOV**

Some days, living in my house was like living in a war zone. Some days were as calm as days on a tropical beach. Today was the former.

"Parker!" Nechole yelled viciously from her room. " _Where_ is my yellow skirt?!"

"How should I know?!" came the reply.

"Because you _always_ take my clothes!" my eldest daughter growled.

"Do not!"

"Do, too!"

There was a tap on my shoulder. When I looked up, my wife gave me a look that told me to go take care of it because she was on the phone with Christa. My female had been busy running around trying to help Morgan and Lucas with all the flower arrangements for Jules's wedding.

Sighing, I hefted myself up off the couch. Walking down the hall of the expansion to the house, I passed all the family pictures both staged and candid before I got to Parker's room. Hers was the first on the right, then Katie's. Nechole's room was the last on the left and from here, I could see a growing pile of clean clothes as she tossed them out of the closet.

"Where is it?!" Nechole yelled again.

Parker came to the door of her room. "I told you! I _don't know_!"

Rearranging my mouth, I whistled so loudly that the sound echoed as the girls quieted down. Katie opened her door to peek out as Nechole came to hers. I looked at all three of them. "That's enough yelling. Mom's on the phone and I'm pretty sure I'm actually on the verge of getting a headache." Then I looked at Katie instead of Parker and held my hand out with my brows raised.

Rolling her eyes, she ducked back into her room and came back with a yellow skirt, putting it in my hand. Then I looked at Nechole, handing the thing to her. "Apologize to Parker. Just because she's the youngest doesn't mean to you get to blame her for everything of yours that goes missing."

"Yeah," Parker said.

I looked at her. "Just because she blames you doesn't mean you get to scream." Then I looked at Katie. "And you. Apologize to both of your sisters."

In true teenage girl fashion, they all stayed silent in their attitudes.

"Now," I growled. "Apologies. Don't force me to make you share rooms again."

As usual, Nechole was first. She was the quickest to temper, but the first to apologize and mean it. "I'm sorry I blamed you, Parker. I'm sorry I yelled."

And as usual, Parker was the fastest to forgive. "It's okay. It usually is me anyway."

"I'm sorry I took it without asking," Katie said. Then she turned to Parker. "Sorry I let her yell at you for taking it."

Nechole shrugged. "I don't care if you guys borrow my stuff as long as you bring it back. But it's okay."

Crossing my arms and looking at my three female offspring, I nodded. "Now, are we done with the screaming?"

The three of them shared a look before nodding.

"Good. Now, I want all of you out of the house. Go find something to do. Your mom has planning to help with and I need some quiet."

Nechole retreated to her room. "That's okay. I have a date."

At that, I rolled my eyes after she turned her back to me. Eric was the kid she'd been seeing for a year or so now. He was a good kid and Nechole really liked him. I was just a typical dad that didn't like any guy with my girls. Katie and Parker were too young to be thinking about guys even though Katie was only a year younger than Nechole. Seventeen was my limit.

Katie stepped out of her room. "We'll go to the store to see if we can help Uncle Lucas." She held her hand out to Parker. "Come on. Then we can go see Cordy if they say it's okay."

Once plans were made, it didn't take long until the girls were leaving the house with promises to text for a check-in. I may have wanted them out, but I was still protective. Overly so.

With a fresh beer, I collapsed back onto the couch and turned on a football game.

Ahh, my tropical beach. Now all I needed was particular blonde female in a tiny bikini and I'd be all set.

A few minutes later, Tricia joined me with a flop and beer in hand. Speak of my devil.

"Finally," she sighed. "It's quiet."

Chuckling, I took a deep pull from the bottle.

She smirked. "You sure you wanna try for that boy? Odds are we'd get another one of them."

Reaching out, I rubbed my hand on her thigh. "Hey, if we have any more kids, I'll be happy no matter what they come out as. But we'd probably need a bigger house for that."

She laughed and pushed her hair behind her shoulder. "I think we could handle at least one more. But what I'm worried about are the age differences. I wouldn't want the girls to ostracize a much younger sibling."

"I don't think they would. As long as we don't play favorites. Besides, soon they'll be phasing or shifting and getting lives of their own. They'll be out of the house and we'll have rooms to fill up."

At the talk of shifting, her amusement faded. Those ice green eyes drifted.

Uh-oh. I knew that look. It was the one she got when gossip finally came down the chain and she didn't know whether or not to tell me.

"What is it?"

Pulling her legs up and tucking them, she turned so that one arm was propped on the back of the couch and she was facing me. "One of the calls today was Leah. And she got a call from Alice about a week ago when the boys were having their fitting."

"Oh yeah?"

She nodded. "Yep. Apparently, Leah's been debating on calling me for days."

"For what?"

" _Alice_ debated on calling _her_ , but in the end, she wanted us to be forewarned. Of course, she heard the boys talking. You know Gage phased a while ago…" She looked up at me expectantly.

I let out the breath in a long sigh. "Which one? Please don't say-,"

Tricia nodded. "Yep. Nechole."

"Damn."

"Basically."

On the one hand, I was thrilled with the news that Leah's son had imprinted on Nechole. I wasn't thrilled with the Eric kid because I didn't know enough about him. Gage I'd helped raise. But on the other hand…this was going to kill Nechole.

"What are we going to do?" Tricia asked.

I shook my head. "Gage has known for a while that he imprinted. He has to. He saw her not long after he phased. Whatever happens between them, we need to let them deal with it. This isn't something we can just break up. If he doesn't tell her before she phases or shifts, she'll find out the moment she sees him that he lied to her."

"He didn't lie. He just didn't tell her."

"And that's still lying, Trish."

She sighed. "Of course it is. And she'll be pissed because she thinks just like you do." Laying her head on her arm, she looked up at me. "I wish we could do something but I know you're right. They have to do this on their own."

Sinking back against the couch, I scrubbed my face. "I guess I'll just have to remind myself not to beat up a seventeen year old kid if my baby girl comes home crying."

Tricia laughed, the sound smooth in the air. Even after all these years, the sound still gave me chills. She took the beer bottle from my hand and put them both on the coffee table before swinging a leg over my thighs to straddle them.

I lifted my brows at her and ran my hands up her legs to her hips.

With a wicked little grin, she leaned in, her hair enveloping both of us. "When the kids are away, the parents will play."

"Mmm," I mumbled against her lips. "Sounds kinky."

"Mmm, you have no idea what I have in mind."

I growled. "You know it drives me crazy when I can't touch you."

The grin became downright evil, and at the sight of it, I got hard under her. "Yes," she said. "I do know this. But it's not what I want to do to you. It's what I want you to do to me."

A low purr rumbled through my chest. "Rope or cuffs?"

Sliding back, she took my hands and pulled me off the couch. "Come to the bedroom and find out."

The woman didn't have to tell me twice.

 **NecholePOV**

The café was small, cozy, and not packed on a Thursday night. After the "fight" with my sisters, I'd gotten dressed and met Eric outside the doors to our usual haunt. He'd been waiting for me out in the chilly night air dressed in a button down open over a white undershirt, his leather jacket, jeans, and boots. His black hair was smooth and silky falling into dark brown eyes.

Now, we were inside and waiting on our order.

"You okay?" he asked. "You're quiet."

Shaking myself, I smiled. "I'm great. How was your day?"

Eric was blissfully normal. He'd never phased, so he wasn't caught up with the pack.

He shrugged out of his jacket and draped it across the back of his chair. "Same as usual. I never knew rocking chairs were so popular until I went into the business with my dad."

I laughed. "Well, good, sturdy, and homemade are hard to find. And the ones you guys make are pretty spectacular. I think the Cullens have a couple on their front porch."

"Yeah well, they're a bitch to make."

Reaching out, I put my hand over his. "But much appreciated."

Turning his hand in mine, he held my fingers. Then frowned. "You're burning up. Are you sure you're okay?"

My mood suddenly plummeting, I pulled away. "Yeah, I'm fine. I'm normally hot."

Instead of taking the bait, he shook his head. "Not like that. I've held your hand a thousand times. Are you getting sick?"

"Eric!" I snapped loudly. When people looked over at us, I lowered my voice and tried to smile. "I'm okay."

He stared at me like he didn't know who I was before he leaned in. "Are you close?"

I had to take a deep breath before answering. "It's possible. I've been cranky lately as well as," I lifted my hands, "warm." As well as really freaking distracted with thoughts of another guy, but I wasn't about to say that.

God, Gage. He and I had never been particularly close, but we'd always talked easily. And now, he wouldn't even look at me, as if I'd broken his heart. I couldn't understand it, but I hated the look on his face.

"…for us? Hello? Nechole?"

Blinking, I came back to the café. "What? I'm sorry. I'm so out there right now."

He gave me a look. "I said, so I guess that's it for us?"

All I could do was blink at him for a second. "What? No! I mean, it doesn't have to be."

"Come on. I know about the pack and imprinting. If you change…"

I reached out for his hand again, feeling bad for pulling away. "We'll figure it out."

Those dark eyes studied me. "You sure about that? You've been different since you went to the Cullens' last week. Distracted. Is there someone else?"

"Wha-no." I slumped. "Just friend problems."

Now he got pissy. "And is this _friend_ a guy? Male? Whatever you guys call boy wolves."

Sighing, I sat back and fingered the napkin in my lap. "Don't be like this. Please."

"It's kind of hard not to be."

"You're jealous," I said in disbelief.

"Of course I am," he said dismissively. "The pack keeps to themselves. We _civilians_ don't know anything about them. We _normals_ are going to have insecurities, especially since we know that the wolves would do better being with other wolves. You said there was a chance you wouldn't change."

"And it was true. There's always a chance we won't change."

He shook his head and looked toward the counter. His gaze stayed there.

I followed it to see Lacy at the register.

Now, my anger bubbled up. "You want to talk about jealousy?" I hissed. "Is _she_ the reason you bring us here? So you can stare at her?"

Eric swung back to me, eyes wide.

"Yeah," I said in a scathing tone. "I know about your crush on her from before we got together.

When he didn't say anything, I shook my head, put my napkin on the table, and grabbed my bag. I stood up and draped the strap over my shoulder. "Call me when you're ready to not be a hypocrite."

Outside, once I was around the corner, I stalled out and didn't know where to go. The anger bubbled down leaving a pain in its wake. I cared about Eric, maybe even loved him, but this was not going to work if I phased and found my mate, especially if he wasn't the one. If he was, great. If not, there was a year of a growing relationship that shouldn't have happened.

Taking out my phone, I texted Katie. Thankfully, she was fast at responding. She and Parker were still at Uncle Lucas's flower shop.

Luckily, I had a few blocks to compose myself.

When I walked in, the tears were dried up and I hoped the cold helped the swelling of my eyes go down.

But of course, my sisters knew something was wrong.

Katie came around the counter while Parker frowned hard.

"What happened?" Katie asked.

Parker crossed her arms under her breasts, that heavy frown still on her face. Even though she was only fourteen, she was filling out in all the right places, looking more and more like Mom all the time.

I shook my head, forcing the tears back. "Nothing I really wanna talk about. Do you guys still need some help?"

Katie looked at Parker, who nodded. "Yeah. Aunt Morgan said they're backed up and their help quit a couple days ago." She flashed the list of orders.

Going over to the coat rack, I hung up my bag and rolled up my sleeves. "Good. Dad will be happy. This'll keep us busy for a while."

Katie snorted. "Yeah, while they try to make a little brother for us."

Parker and I both wrinkled our noses at the thought of our parents getting it on.

"Bugh," we all said together.

As we laughed together, I put one arm around Parker's neck and the other around Katie. "I really love you guys. You're the best."

Parker snorted this time. "Yeah, just remember that the next time you want to yell at me for stealing your clothes." Leaning forward, she gave Katie a pointed glare.

Katie rolled her eyes. "I am _not_ apologizing again."

"Alright, you two. Let's get these orders done, shall we?"

And side by side, we worked together in the way that only sisters could.

 **RyellPOV**

Sitting in Jules and Bray's living room, I should have been paying attention to all the commotion about the wedding, but I just couldn't focus.

Once Dox and I had emerged from his cabin, we'd gone to see Dad to talk more about what would happen next. It was just the same as Dox had explained it to me, and I still hated the fact that we had to waltz around, showing our marks so the rumors would take off. We were not things to be displayed, but I did as Dad told me because even though he knew how much I hated it, he also had a good reason.

So for the past week, I'd been hounding anyone who was in charge of something for the wedding if they needed any help. I just couldn't be on the compound anymore or I'd go insane. I loved my pack, but they were still a bunch of nosy, gossip-loving sonsabitches.

A steaming mug of something popped up in front of my face. A tan arm was attached to it.

"You okay?" Piper asked as she sat down next to me after I took the mug.

I looked around to see that everyone else was laughing and busy. Two weeks until the wedding. Sighing, I swirled the contents of the mug. "Yeah."

Piper just looked at me with brows raised.

Gritting my teeth, I shook my head. "No. I'm far from okay."

"This about your mating stuff?" When I looked at her, she shrugged. "Walker told Jason to start prepping for visitors from allies. I just put two and two together."

I wrapped my cold hands around the warm mug and sipped a little. "Piper, I am so sorry that we're going to ruin your mating."

She put a hand on my arm. "Good lord, don't be, Rye. It's not your fault. I'm glad that you and Dox did your thing and marked each other. I mean, I know Walker would have wanted you to wait, but you can't help what happens in the moment. I would know. What's important to me is that we'll have the people we love there. Your dad will wait a few days before sending out the invitations. And you're not going to be alone in this. The girls and I will stand by you. The guys will be there for Dox. Personally, I'm not going to let anyone or anything do something to mess with you. I'm half Child, and unlike Bray, I identify more with that side of my lineage." She shrugged a shoulder. "For all intents and purposes, you're my alpha female."

Blinking fast, I looked over at her. "But you have a pack of your own?"

She gave me a look. "Do you really think I wanted one? I do what I have to for them because if I don't, someone will just abuse them. At least I know they're safe here. And for some reason, they believe in me. Besides, if someone fucks with you, I have my own little army to command. And I won't hesitate to make enemies to keep you safe, Rye."

"That's…" I stuttered. "That's really sweet, Piper."

She just shrugged again, her dark hair sliding around her shoulders. "It's how I feel. And I know Jason agrees."

"But he's Dad's head enforcer."

Piper's emerald green eyes just looked at me over her mug. "Whose side do you think he'd take if forced into a choice?"

Sitting there, I didn't even have to think about that. Jason was utterly devoted to Piper. If she asked him to pack up and leave, he would in a heartbeat. He'd only taken the position of head enforcer because my dad had asked him to. It was a title of honor, and at the time, Jason had needed to feel valued. Even Dad knew Jason would always choose Piper. Every single time.

I nodded. "Good point." Reaching over, I gripped her hand. "Thank you. Your support really means a lot. I'm already terrified to take over the pack even though that's a long way off. And now, having all these strangers here investigating and poking around and staring…I hate it. I wish our mating could be like yours to Jason will be."

Piper put her mug on the table and turned to me. Gently, she cupped my face. "Listen to me, you and Dox may have obligations to the allies, but the girls and I will be damned if your mating is anything less than special, okay? We don't have any such obligations and it will be everything you want."

I couldn't help but choke out a laugh. "Dox promised me the same thing."

"See? Nobody comes to our territory and tells us how to do things. Just like we don't go there and try to dictate. They're just going to have to deal with it and be honored that they were even invited."

"For real," Jules said from behind us. Leaning over the couch, she put her chin on my shoulder. "You and Dox just worry about the politics. The rest of us will make sure everything goes the way it should. Now, enough of the heavy talk. Come help us make these centerpieces. We have only, like, a million left."

Reaching over, she took my hand.

Laughing, I stood up and we awkwardly moved around until she was leading me to the kitchen. Jules's joyous mood was contagious as we all gathered around the table. Hunter and Ava had shown up. Maggie, Arden, and Cecily had come with Piper. The kids had been left with Jason and Will for the night.

Jules sat at the head of the table and pulled a clear, glass vase in front of her. Her curly red and black hair fell down over her shoulders, her bangs artfully framing her face. The tan of her arms was dark against the white of her tank top. But the most beautiful part about her were the frost-like scars that ran all over her body. They were the result of her being struck over and over again by lightening over three years ago. It had been the only way to win against the coven of witches whose leader had the power to control that particular element. Jules had taken one for the team and linked up with our witch to defeat the bitch. At first, Jules had been self-conscious about the scars, but honestly, everyone thought they were badass as well as beautiful.

As I sat down with the rest of the girls, she looked up and looked around at all of us. "I really want to thank you guys for helping me through all of this. I hope I haven't been a complete Bridezilla."

We all looked at each other before Piper leaned over to brush her best friend's hair back. "Not at all. This is an honor for us. After all you've done, you deserve this."

Surprisingly, it was Arden who spoke up. "Your mom almost died for my little brother. She lost her memory because of what she did. And you should have died from what happened to you. You have all the right in the world to be a bitch dictator but you're not. And you're not freaking out about the wedding. That's why I'm here. I respect the hell out of you. You don't care if everything is perfect. At the end of it all, it is what it's going to be and you're still going to marry Brayden. So, on behalf of all of us, you're most welcome."

Jules's aqua eyes misted over as she smiled at us.

When she got to me, I put my hand over my heart and bowed my head. "It is an honor to be your ally." I smiled. "And soon your sister-in-law."

She grinned as the tears spilled over. "You're my sister with or without a mating." That blue-green gaze moved around again. "I feel that way about all of you. We've all been through so much together and I couldn't ask for a better group of friends to spend my wedding with. And I promise that I will make all these long hours of preparation up to you somehow."

Piper patted her hand. "Just give us cute babies to spoil and we'll call it even."

While the rest of us nodded, Arden said with a smile, "Actually, I could use a new hunting knife."

For a moment, we all paused to stare at her. Maggie's surprise turned into love and affection for her girlfriend and the rest of us started to laugh.

"I'm joking," Arden said with a grin. "Babies are always good."

I nodded. "Can you guys imagine a Bray-Jules baby? We'll all have self-image issues once that kid grows up."

Cecily shook her head. "Just think of little Jason-Pipers running around, too."

As a group, we all sighed.

No doubt we all had different visions in our heads, the way we imagined those kids would look. Mixes of the couples.

Maggie leaned forward and grabbed a vase. "All the alpha couples will make adorable babies. You and Dox, too, Rye. For real."

Everybody nodded in agreement.

I just sat there because I had never truly thought that far into my future with Dox. I'd been more worried about curing my cycle rages, taking over the pack, and now our mating. Kids hadn't fit anywhere in any of those scenarios. Except, maybe the cycles. But that had been more about the sex and Dox claiming me before someone else got to me.

But now that she'd said something, visions of kids raced around my head. What would they look like? What of me would they have? My hair? My eyes? Shifting or phasing? Would they crave blood like Dox?

Taking a deep breath, I shook my head and grabbed a spool of ribbon. "That's a long way off for us. At least, I hope so. We have so much politics to survive right now that a pregnancy would just add another layer to the pile."

Nobody could predict pregnancy though. And none of us could prevent it without abstaining from sex. Which was a joke. Now that I'd had Dox inside me, felt his claim on me, there was no way I wouldn't be panting the moment he looked at me with that hungry glint in his dark eyes. The only way to stop us from sleeping together would be to put us on separate continents. And even then, we'd find a way to each other.

Hell, even as we sat there, the possibility that I could be pregnant was a huge mental roadblock with flashing signs. But it had been a week since we'd first started the sex. He would have scented the shift in hormones. Even though Dox was Quileute, he seemed to have heightened senses when it came to me, meaning the imprint was at work. Ever since we'd marked each other, he had an uncanny ability to pick up my emotions even if he wasn't near me. Over the past week, he'd call to ask if something was wrong or to ask me if he needed to come home for me for any reason.

Oh, and home? I was now living with him in a bigger cabin. Dad had actually let me pack up my stuff and _move out of his house._ Yeah, even I was still having trouble accepting that. So literally, home was…Dox.

"Rye?" Jules asked quietly. "You okay?"

Slapping a smile on my piehole, I said, "Yeah. Just thinking. So much has changed around here, and there's still more change coming." My smile turned real. "I'm happy I have you guys. And Dox has been amazing. I wouldn't have you guys as friends if it wasn't for him pulling me out of the shadows." As my throat closed up with emotion, I fought it and waved everything away. "Times like this, we all realize how grateful we are for what we have. No need to air it out."

Jules gripped my hand and smirked. "Doesn't mean we don't like hearing it. We like that you've come out of your shell and that my brother is to thank for that. You're very special, Rye. More than you think you are. I love having you here."

I gave her a quick smile before taking a deep breath. "Enough with the emotions. I can be girly for only so long before I'm disgusted with myself. Let's get these pieces done and check that off the list."

"Here, here," Piper called out, raising her glass of wine.

As we laughed, she wiggled her eyebrows and chugged the glass.

 **NecholePOV**

Just as I was finishing up the final touches on a piece with white calla lilies, my phone went off at my elbow.

Katie took it and read the text. "Dad's wondering where you are. Want me to answer?"

"Sure. I'm almost done and then we can go." I glanced up at Parker. "Sorry we didn't get to go see Will and Cordy."

She shrugged and played with end of her platinum blonde braid. "There are other days. Besides, Hunter is with Jules. I'm sure he liked having his kid to himself for a few hours."

I nodded. "Good point. Father-daughter bonding is important. Especially for them."

Parker nodded absently. "Yeah. Hey, I'm really sorry for taking your clothes. I mean, I know it wasn't me tonight, but still…"

Looking up, I smirked. "Park, really, it's okay. Like I said, I don't mind you guys borrowing my stuff because we all do the same to each other. I was just irritated tonight because things with Eric have been…off…lately and I took it out on you."

She bobbed her head in another nod. "Do you want to talk about it? You'd been crying before you came in here."

That made me laugh. Parker was never one to hold back, but she knew when to ask the questions. Now that I was calmer, I wouldn't bite her head off with the answer. "We had a stupid fight. He's jealous of Gage. Of all the idiotic things. Not that he knows who Gage is."

Parker frowned and leaned back against the counter beside me. "Gage? What does he have to do with anything?"

For a moment, I hesitated.

But it was long enough to get her suspicious. Her ice green eyes narrowed. " _Is_ there a reason he should be jealous of Gage?"

Knowing my sister well enough to know that she wouldn't give up, I sighed in surrender. "There's nothing going on, but…I mean, Gage and I were never buddy-buddy, but he's been different since I started seeing Eric. He doesn't hide the hurt well even though he tries, you know? I just don't understand."

She was quiet for a minute.

"Maybe it's a good thing you and Eric are on the outs right now."

I whipped my head around. "What? How can you say that?"

Keeping a hip on the counter, she turned to face me. "Nechole, you're close to turning and don't know if he's the one. It's better to ask for forgiveness after you imprint on him or figure out he's your mate. And if he's not those things, his being angry will help him let go better. More than likely your mate is here. For some reason, our pack always find their mates. And Walker's pack, our pack, too, have been finding their true mates more and more often. I mean, it's just my opinion so what do I know? I just think it might be better to cool it with Eric until you change."

I frowned. "But it could be months before that happens."

"Honestly, that would be even better. Give him time to get over things because if you change and imprint, how do you think he's going to react right now if he sees you jump into another guy's arms?" She shook her head. "Won't be pretty."

Biting my lip, I shot her a look. "You think?"

Katie came up to us from having gone outside to talk on the phone. "I think she's right. Eric really likes you. Anybody can see that. I don't know what happened tonight with the jealousy thing, but the fact that he is jealous says something. Even though he's not a particularly violent guy, jealousy affects everyone differently."

Trying not to think too hard about it, I picked up the case and shoved it in the cooler with all the other orders we'd finished tonight. "I hate this," I said softly.

"Do you love him?"

"Parker" Katie hissed.

And that was our relationship summed up. Parker always asked the hard questions. Katie reacted scandalized but secretly wanted the answer. I felt bad for Katie. She was the middle child and was always stuck between me and Parker. But she was no less loved by our parents. She was the watcher and the listener. Most of the time, when Parker and I were fighting, Katie would spend her time going back and forth trying to reconcile us.

The glass of the cooler against my forehead was cold and felt really good against my skin. Which was just another sign of my impending change. Sighing, I thought about Parker's question. And hated the answer.

"No, I don't think I do. I mean, I like spending time with him, but I have no vision of us together in the future. It's not just that he's jealous of another guy in my life, he's jealous about the pack. He never phased and I think that bothers him."

"Well if he can't handle that you're going to change, then that's his problem and he doesn't deserve you," Katie said.

Parker just nodded her agreement.

Looking at both of them, the only way anybody could tell that three of us were related were the bone structures and our builds. Other than that, Parker was the odd girl out. She had Mom's nearly platinum blonde hair, ice green eyes, and her attitude to match. Though she was only fourteen, she could be scary if she wanted to be. Growing up with the likes of Will and Brayden would do that. She had always gravitated toward them, and I felt bad for that because it meant that she didn't feel like she belonged with me and Katie. Now that we were older, we fought more but were closer than ever.

Reaching out, I tugged Parker's braid. "Let's go home before Dad sends out a search party."

Katie frowned. "But he knows where we are."

I gave her a look. "You really think that'll stop him?"

"Good point."

"You girls heading out?" Uncle Lucas asked as he came out from the back room.

When I was little, I could remember having a crush on him and following him around everywhere. Aunt Morgan thought it was adorable.

"Yeah," Katie answered. "We finished the order list for the next two days. Everything is in the coolers and labeled."

He nodded, wiping his hands on a towel. "I really appreciate it and I'll write up some checks for your time." Then he looked out the window. "It's pretty late. Maybe I should walk you home."

I shook my head and smiled. "Nah, we'll be okay. The house isn't far."

He frowned. "You sure?"

Parker nodded and hugged him. "Yeah, we'll be okay. We stick together now."

Uncle Lucas laughed. "Well that's a good thing. One of you text me when you get home, though, okay? Just so I know you made it back."

"We will. Promise," I said, going in for my hug.

Katie was next and then we were leaving.

The night had gotten colder, the breeze a sharp slap in the face. Hardly anybody was out and about, and the cafés were packed with people wanting comfort foods and cozy atmospheres. Winter was coming hard and fast for us. On the one hand, I couldn't wait. I loved winter and all the holidays. On the other, the air coming off the beach stung like a bitch, forcing all of us more inland.

We'd almost made it to the unmarked driveway when we were stopped by a familiar voice.

"Nechole! Wait up!"

I felt my sisters look at me before I sighed, stopped, and turned around.

Eric was jogging down the street, his coat floating out behind him.

As I waited, I huddled down into my coat. "What do you want?" I asked when he was close enough to hear me.

He stopped in front of me, buttoned up his coat and did the same huddle. "We should talk."

Immediately, I wanted to say yes, that we should. But something made me stop and look over at my sisters. They stood close together in the face of the cold wind. Looking back at Eric, I shook my head. "I don't think a few hours is enough of a separation time to think."

At that, he looked surprised. "Separation? Is that what we're doing?"

I sighed. "Eric, you're jealous of some random person for no reason. And you're clearly not happy that I'll be joining one of the packs when I change. It's not something I have control over and you're blaming me. Not to mention, you still have a thing for Lacy. I don't know what's going to happen. It could be months before I actually change, so, yes, I think we need some time apart." Anger bubbled up inside me and I shook my head. "Honestly, I don't think we should have happened at all or at least for this long because now, when I change, all you're going to do is judge me and be suspicious of me. I can't and won't live like that. There's a good possibility that my imprint or true mate isn't here, and you and I could be happy together. But not with your prejudice. So right now, my sisters and I are going to go home. I suggest you do the same before you get sick. Goodbye, Eric."

And as I turned away, things got bad.

Eric lunged for me. "Nechole, wait." He grabbed my arm to spin me around.

I tugged but he was still stronger. "Let go. You're hurting me."

And that was when Katie and Parker got involved.

Katie grabbed Eric's arm. "Get your hands off her. Right now."

Eric shot her a glare over his shoulder. "This is between me and her. Go away, Katie."

Katie glared right back. "I said, let go of my sister."

At the same moment that she through all her strength into wrenching his arm away, he let go and went to shake her off. Somehow, his elbow ended up catching her in the face. She dropped like a stone onto the sidewalk, blood spilling out of her mouth. Parker was immediately beside her and glaring up at Eric.

"You asshole."

The moment her blood hit the concrete, my body started vibrating.

"You just hit my sister," I said in a low, violent voice.

Even the fear and shock on Eric's face weren't enough to calm me down.

"I'm sorry," he said. "Oh, God, I'm so sorry." Then he knelt down to help Parker get her up. "Are you okay?"

At the same time Parker pushed him away, I grabbed his arm to spin him around the same way he'd done with me. A low growl vibrated up my throat. I would have been surprised because it was the first time I'd ever made that sound if I wasn't so pissed off.

Everyone froze at the sound and stared at me with a case of the oh-shits.

Parker was the one who seemed to understand that Eric's life was suddenly in imminent danger. That they all were if I changed here on the dark street. But it was only Eric who had my full attention.

Even though Katie was trying to speak, Parker was the one who jumped between us. She broke my hold on his arm with a lot of effort and stood there with her arms out.

"Nechole," she said in a slow and calm way. "It was an accident. He didn't mean to hurt her."

"But he did anyway," I growled, my eyes focused on his throat.

"I know. And we can deal with that later. Right now, we need to get Katie home. She's bleeding a lot and she could have a concussion. I won't let you kill him and our sister could suffer for that. She needs a doctor."

"Please," Katie said. But it was a wet sound from all the blood in her mouth.

That pitiful plea pulled me out of the spiral of violence. "I suggest you get gone before we drag our bloody sister home for our dad to see," I growled before turning to Katie.

Parker and I hefted her up, draping her arms over our necks.

" _Go_ , Eric. Now."

The look on his face was pure helplessness and guilt. Throwing his hands up, he shook his head, turned, and jogged off.

It took a lot longer than I wanted to get Katie home. We had to stop every few feet to let her spit a mouthful of blood onto the ground. It was coming out of her nose, too, and I wondered if it was broken.

Finally, we hefted her up the shallow steps to the porch. The light was still on so it was easy to unlock and open the door. We had to go in sideways with me first, then Katie, and Parker coming in last.

"You ready for this?" I whispered to Parker.

"Never. This is gonna suck. I really hope Eric got home."

Most of me wanted to rip him apart, but the part of me that still thought in human ways agreed with her.

Taking a deep breath, I called out, "Dad? Mom?"

They both came out of the kitchen. When they saw us, though, their smiles vanished.

Mom dropped what she was holding, which shattered. Then she was rushing over and taking Katie. "What happened?" she demanded hysterically. "What happened to my baby? Oh my God, Parker call Carlisle. Let's get her to her room."

All my attention was on Dad. He'd gone statue-still, his hands clenched into fists. That big body that always made me feel safe when he hugged me had started to vibrate as his eyes followed Mom and Katie. No doubt, he was seeing the damage done to his daughter and all the blood down her shirt.

Then those dark eyes moved to me. Instantly, I knew that he suspected Eric was involved.

"What. Happened." The demand was low and precise.

"It was an accident," I told him.

"He still hit her," he growled.

Rushing over to him, I put my hands up. "I'm just as pissed as you, Dad. I almost phased right there and ripped him apart, but it was an accident."

He looked down at me from his towering height. "You are to never see him again."

I nodded. "After I break up with him, I won't."

"No," he commanded. "You will never see him again as of tonight."

"Dad, I am not going to break up with him over the phone. You and Mom taught me better than that. And he deserves to see how pissed off and unforgiving I am even though it was just an accident."

As he stared down at me, I knew he was fighting with the rage inside of him. "Tell me what happened."

Swallowing hard, I gathered my voice. "Eric and I had fought on our date so I ended up going to the shop to help out. We were on our way home when Eric found us. I was turning away and he held my arm to stop me. I told him to let go and he didn't. Katie grabbed his arm to pull him off. When he let go, his arm swung back. Daddy, it was an accident. And I will deal with him. Please, let me."

He was about to answer when the doorbell rang and Mom called out for Dad.

"Embry, she wants to see you."

Dad took such a huge breath that his whole body moved with it. The anger seemed to seep out of him for the moment as he nodded. "Get the door. We'll talk about this after Katie is looked at."

Then he was walking across the house to Katie's room.

I took a shaky breath and talked my legs into not giving out on me as I went to the door.

Carlisle was on the other side with his doctor's bag. He smiled kindly.

I managed a smile and moved aside. "Hey, Doc."

"Hi, Nechole. Are you okay?"

"I will be when you tell me my sister is going to be okay."

He smiled again and put a hand on my shoulder. "Lead the way."

And so I took him to Katie's room, praying that my mistakes hadn't done her permanent damage.

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 **Like I said, fluffy chapter with some drama and Jules. You guys have been missing her. So there we go. As always, I love you guys! xoxoxoxo**


	11. Chapter 11

**Y'all, I am so excited for this chapter. I've had the idea for a while and the day has finally come! There are at least two more chapters that I am dying to get to so don't be surprised if the updates keep coming because they're a bit further off. But I might have to cool it for a bit after this one because I'm traveling this week and won't have a lot of time. Hopefully, though, I won't be a month again. Also, please ignore all the typos. I'm good at English, I swear. I just write so fast and edit so little so I can get these chapters to you that I completely miss things.**

 **Please Enjoy!**

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 **JacobPOV**

From my spot at the kitchen table, I watched Embry pace back and forth on the open floor between the kitchen and the living room. The boys were likewise watching as Jules and Shelby helped Ness make food. It seemed that every time we wolves had a meeting, there was food. Not that this was an official meeting.

"Is Katie going to be okay?" Seth asked.

Embry ran a hand through his hair and nodded. "Carlisle said she had a concussion. He stayed at the house last night to keep an eye on her and wake her up every hour. No broken bones, thank God. But her teeth split her lip so he had to give her a couple stitches. Overall, she'll be okay."

"That's good news," Ash said.

"Still," Embry said between gritted teeth. "I wanna beat him."

"Embry," I said sternly, "you're not beating some kid. According to the girls, even Katie, it was an accident. Things got out of hand; it happens."

He glared at me. "And what if it were Jules?"

At that, Bray growled. Seth glanced at his son proudly.

Jules grinned affectionately at his back before looking at me. She raised her eyebrows in a shrug.

I looked back at Embry. "I'd be just as pissed as you are. Hell, when Jules and Bray were fighting, I wanted to nail him a good one." As everyone laughed and Bray gave me an incredulous look, I went on. " _But_ it wasn't my place. If Jules tells me she wants to take care of it, then I have to respect that. You need to trust Nechole to do the right thing. She almost phased last night because of what happened. Her sister was accidentally hurt and she's not going to let that go. The fact that she almost phased should tell you how done with the kid she is. Let her handle it; she's a big girl."

With a massive sigh, he came to sit down. "I knew the teenage years were going to be rough, but damn, I really wish I had a boy or two. These girls are going to put me in an early grave."

Ness was the one to laugh the loudest. "As a mom of three boys, I can tell you that it's not any easier. A bit bloodier but not easier."

"They're momma's boys."

My three boys tried to be offended before they just shook their heads and shrugged.

I chuckled. "Well, from one dad to another, Ness is right. It's not easier. All you want to do is always help them but you know they gotta bust their balls to toughen up. Totally sucks."

"Lovely image," Ness said with a shake of her head.

I shrugged. "It's man speak, Ness. Embry gets what I'm saying. And so do the boys."

Embry nodded but said, "I swear, the moment I saw her with all that blood, I thought my heart was going to stop right there."

I nodded. "I remember when Will beat the hell out of that kid for hurting Ava and he'd come through the trees."

To my left, Will shuddered.

"Scared the hell out of me," I said. "I thought it was his until someone told me what happened. Just having kids in general, no matter the gender, is hard. But I'm glad you came here instead of going after that kid."

"I had to. Every time I looked at my little girl, I became homicidal. Tricia and I decided to send them up to Walker, especially Nechole. She's getting close. I want her around less breakable people."

The boys and I shared a look.

Dox nodded. "That's a good idea. Rye and I will watch out for her. Ash and I will be there if she has any questions."

Embry looked over at him. The look was a considering one, like he'd never seen my son before. We all had that moment. Ever since he'd been with and marked Ryell, he'd been different. More sure of himself, more or less compromising depending on the situation. And he was comfortable making decisions for both him and Rye without even consulting her. He was definitely in his element as an alpha and it showed.

"Thanks, but don't you guys have enough to worry about? Victoria and the baby. Pack politics."

Dox gave a noncommittal shrug. "Our stuff won't get put into motion until well after the wedding and Piper's mating. We've got a little while on that front, and it sounds like it won't be long before Nechole joins the pack."

Ash nodded. "Same with Victoria. Everything has been good with her job and the pregnancy. It'll be at least another three and a half months before the baby's here. Besides, what kind of pack leaders would we be if we couldn't handle multiple issues at once? We'll take care of them."

Embry studied both of them before nodding. "Thanks," he said in a choked voice. "They're my girls."

Dox and Ash shared a look.

"We won't let anything happen to them, Uncle Embry," Dox said. "I promise. They're our cousins as far as we're concerned, and if anything happened to Parker, Will would probably kill us."

Will nodded. "He's not lying. That's my girl right there."

Bray shook his head. "You have too many girls."

Will wiggled his eyebrows. "Can't help it I'm a ladies' man."

We all shook our heads but Ness smiled warmly at her firstborn son.

A moment later, there was a knock on the door.

Seth shrugged when I looked at him.

"Come in," I called.

I didn't even finish before Lucas came barreling in, his eyes frantic.

He honed in on Embry. "I just heard what happened to Katie. Is she okay?"

Embry nodded and went through his shpiel again.

Lucas ran a hand over his short hair and sat down at the crowded table. "Dammit. I knew I should have walked the girls home last night. They insisted they didn't need it."

Embry shook his head and let out a breath. "According to them, it was an accident."

"He shouldn't have put his hands on Nechole."

"And I agree," Embry said. He looked at me. "But she wants to handle it, so I'm going to let her. She was so pissed she almost phased. Parker had to talk her down so I'm not too worried that she'll let him off easy."

"Damn," Lucas sighed. "I still feel like shit. I should have gone with them."

Embry slapped a hand on his back. "Don't beat yourself up, kid. Something would have gone down no matter what. He was determined to talk to her."

"I wouldn't have let it get physical, though."

"I know, Lucas. It's going to be okay. Carlisle says there's no permanent damage done. Katie will heal up."

Before Lucas could continue the blame game, Seth asked, "How are the boys?"

He shook his head. "Driving Morgan up the wall. I swear, they're hellions. Not sure exactly where they came from."

As one, we all looked at him.

Shaking his head, he sat back and put up his hands. "I was not that bad when I was a kid. It's gotta be Morgan's attitude. That or she slept with the mailman."

I chuckled. "They look too much like you, my friend."

He grinned as if knowing he was a handsome SOB and his boys were going to be heartbreakers because of it. "I wish they would have gotten my temperament."

Across the table, Will grinned. "Gonna try for a girl?"

Lucas gave him a level look. "Hell no. I do not need two Morgans running around my house. I've already got the male versions of her. And I am not willing to take the chance that a girl might take after me. Two is enough."

Bray laughed. "Watch you guys end up pregnant."

This time Lucas shook his head. "If my vasectomy ends up fixing itself for some mystical bullshit reason, I'm gonna be pissed. Morgan agrees. No more for us. Dylan was our failed attempt at a girl. We're done." Then he toned the anger down. "But if something did happen, of course, I'd love any other kids we had."

Raising my hands, I sat back. "Nothing wrong with that. Ness and I weren't planning on twins our last go-round. Surprised the hell out of us."

Ness nodded, her eyes wide as if she were remembering. "I was huge. Whale-size."

"Sorry," Ash and Dox said at the same time, proving they were indeed twins.

Ness smiled at them. "Don't be. Not your fault, and I love you both very much even though one of you wasn't planned."

"That would be Ash seeing as how I was born first," Dox said smugly.

Ash gave his twin a dry look before firing a napkin at him.

I gave my wife a look. "You nearly bled me dry and all you remember is that you were huge?"

She shrugged. "I try not to remember too much about that little trip. Of course I remember the boys being born. I also kept all the shells that Will and Jules found for us and Christmas. Nearly killing you is not something I like to think about, thank you very much."

While I shook my head, Will frowned and looked at his mother. "I remember that entire trip except that part."

Ness and I both blinked at him in surprise.

"You remember that?" she asked.

He nodded. "Yep. I was always following Jules around, watching over her." He frowned and looked at Bray. "And so you were you."

Bray nodded. "I remember. We never let her get too far into the water. She was so focused on finding those shells that she wasn't paying attention to where she was going. But I don't remember the blood thing either."

Leaning forward, I looked at Will. "Remember when Edward hauled you and Jules out of the third floor area?"

He frowned in thought before nodding.

"That's when she almost killed me. For some reason, during the pregnancy with you two," I said looking at the twins, "your mother craved my blood. It's the only blood she wanted. That was the first time we realized it. After that, I had to slit my wrist and pour it into a glass or she wouldn't take it. Too scared she was going to hurt me again."

"Wait," Cole said. "Ash and Dox weren't born here?" And that question proved he belonged in our world. The kid didn't even balk that Ness had craved blood or that she'd craved mine and I'd let her drink from me.

I shook my head. "Their Uncle Emmett bought me and Ness an island for our anniversary that year. We had to leave Forks before Nessie's blood intake skyrocketed. And the pregnancy only lasted three months."

Cole's eyes widened. "What? That's insane."

Ness and I shared another look before her eyes drifted toward the living room.

No doubt she was remembering when she'd passed out from the flu-like symptoms her body had produced from conceiving and growing the twins so fast.

I looked at Will, wondering what all he remembered. "Let me ask you something. Do you remember the day we found out your mom was pregnant with them?"

My firstborn frowned again, his eyes losing focus. "Kind of." He looked over his shoulder at Ness. "You passed out on the floor in front of the couch, didn't you?" When she nodded, he turned back to me. "The next thing I can kind of remember is you busting through the door. After that, nothing except the trip down the coast before going to the island."

"It was a rough few months, that's for sure," I said. "But you, Jules, Bray, and Piper were amazing. You guys handled everything really well given that we were all worried about Ness."

Bray shrugged. "As the oldest of the four of us, I just remember being content to be where my friends and sister were. Watching out for the three of them was basically my goal in life. All I knew was that the grown-ups were frantic and worried."

Will shook his head. "Such a boy scout," he said affectionately.

"Hey, it kept your ass out of trouble a few times, if I remember correctly. Growing up, you were always wanting to get into something." He grinned. "And now you have Cordy to put you through your paces. I hope she's hell on wheels."

Will flipped him off. "Right back at you when you and Jules have kids."

Embry chuckled. "So Bray, you ready for married life?"

My soon-to-be son-in-law took a deep breath. "Kind of have to be. I'm the one who volunteered for it. Besides, if I backed out, I'd break her heart." His eyes shot to me. "Not that I was thinking of backing out. I love her too much." Then he looked back at Jules.

She kissed the air in front of her.

Lifting the mug up to him, I said, "I know. I never would have given you my blessing if I didn't think you'd do right by her. And neither would her brothers."

The three of them all looked at Bray and nodded. Jules grinned at her brothers lovingly. Even though she was the second oldest, they all treated her like she was the baby. Dox and Ash were as protective over her as Will and I were.

Bray huffed out a laugh. "Well thank god they like me." Then he shrugged. "I don't know. Will being married really change how we are?"

Seth tossed his head back and forth. "It could make things more intense. From what I've seen of other couples, it did. Your mom and I never married or mated, but it didn't really affect us. We're the same as we've always been." He winked up at his mate.

Shelby smiled back. "You and Jules will be fine. I think you've been through the worst with that one fight. Now that you've figured out your happy medium, you should be okay. There will always be something to argue over, but as long as you remember how hard it would be to live without the other, you'll figure it out."

Bray looked at my daughter and shuddered. "Never again. That was the worst time of my life. Not that I didn't love spending time with Aunt Leah and them. I just missed my mate."

Jules's eyes shined. It still blew me away that she reminded me so much of the few images of my mother I could remember. Those eyes were always a constant. That familiar pain flared up but settled again as I remembered that the strong young woman in front of me was my daughter and that my mother would have been proud to call Jules granddaughter.

"I love you, too, Bray," she said warmly.

Sitting at the head of the table, I looked at Embry, Seth, Lucas, Ness, and Shelby. We were the originals of the pack. But the kids were the future. It was a pleasure and an honor to watch them grow in the bonds of love that brought them into the world and still kept them together.

 **RyellPOV**

Inhaling nervously, I lifted my fist and knocked on the door in front of me. My heart was beating hard and fast in my chest.

Not surprisingly, it was Nechole to answer. She blinked in surprise. "Hey, Rye. What's up?"

"Um, my dad told me that you guys were coming to stay. Katie, too, once she heals up. I'm really sorry about what happened."

A moment later, Parker came to stand at the door, too.

Nechole moved aside to let me in. "It's okay. It was my fault, to be honest. But I'm gonna take care of it. So, what's up?"

I looked around the largest guest cabin we had. Big enough to house three girls and all the crap that came with being a girl. My mom and Aunt Tricia had gone back down to Aunt Tricia's house to get the rest of their stuff.

I stuffed my hands in my pockets. "I was wondering if you guys would want to go to the grocery store. I know the cabin isn't stocked, so I figured…I mean, I know that we don't hang out that much even though we're family. And I'm sorry for that. We're cousins and I hate that we aren't as close as we could be." Knowing I was rambling, I shut my face.

The two girls shared a look.

Parker blinked pale green eyes at me. The paleness was like that of Aunt Tricia, but nobody knew exactly where the color came from seeing as how Uncle Embry had dark brown and Aunt Tricia's eyes were blue. The electric green mixed with Aunt Tricia's pale blonde hair was a striking mix. "Rye, we know you're busy with the pack and Dox and everything else. And we're on the rez so it's kind of out of sight, out of mind."

Shaking my head, I said, "I still hate it. We should be closer than we are. Wren, too."

"She's right."

I turned to see my little brother standing at the end of the path. "What are you doing out here?"

He shrugged. "I saw you leave and I was bored so I followed you." He looked at Parker and Nechole. "Rye's right. Just because you live on the rez doesn't excuse the fact that we haven't acted like family. Let us at least help you get settled in."

"Wren," I said, "you know Mom and Dad don't like you out and about."

"Screw that," he said viciously. "I can't be kept prisoner all the time, Rye. Especially if they eventually want me to lead something. I'm not as fragile as they think."

Reaching out, I put a hand on his arm. "I know that."

The girls shared another look.

Parker shrugged, clearly leaving the decision up to Nechole.

Nechole grabbed her jacket. "Sounds good to me. I'm kind of tired of unpacking clothes."

Parker grabbed her hoodie and followed. "I'm game."

"Really?" I asked, blinking stupidly.

"Sure," Nechole said. "Mom and Aunt Christa won't be back for a while. They just left a few minutes ago. And we need food. If we get to bond in the process, well I don't see a loss there."

Grinning, I started walking for the path, the compound and parking area beyond. "We can go to the store in Forks. It's closer."

Instead of a truck like Dox usually picked, I went with one of the sedans. In all honesty, I hated driving the trucks so every time we were together, I let Dox drive. Wren sat up front with me, the girls in the back. For the most part, we stayed quiet only asking questions here and there to attempt conversation. It sucked that we weren't closer, and I felt like that was mostly my fault.

"Thanks for this," Nechole said. "I know Mom wants to stay with Katie as long as she can because Dad had to leave the house. He can't be around Katie without wanting to kill Eric."

"So, what actually happened? Was it really an accident?" Wren asked.

In the rearview mirror, I saw Nechole sigh and look out the window.

"Sorry," Wren said. "I just-,"

"It really was an accident," Parker answered. "Granted, Eric shouldn't have forced the issue, but he didn't mean to hit Katie. It all happened really fast."

"What are you gonna do?" I asked.

Nechole shrugged. "Break it off with him officially. Accident or not, he hurt my sister. I won't stand for that. But also, I really don't think he's the one that I'll end up with after I phase. It just doesn't feel right. His prejudice toward the packs is just too strong for it be like that."

"Do you like him?"

"I did. But…it wasn't going to go anywhere. There wasn't a spark between us. We were more like glorified friends who kissed every now and then."

"I'm so sorry," I said, meaning it.

She lifted a shoulder. "Don't be. It's just a bad situation that shouldn't have happened in the first place."

"Doesn't change the fact that I'm sorry."

Her brown eyes met mine in the mirror and crinkled a little at the corners. "Thanks, Rye. So how are you and Dox? I saw the mark on your neck."

Automatically, my hand went to my throat and the scars there. "We're actually good. We've been busy doing our part for the wedding and Piper's mating to Jason. And then political crap with our own mating. Hopefully, we can just concentrate on the wedding and getting you taken care of. I hate that you're going through this."

"Phasing is supposed to be easier."

"Only after you do it for the first time," I said. "Before that, from what I saw from Dox, the anger leading up to the first time can be brutal. According to the stories, Uncle Jake phased after Billy just said he looked weird. To be honest, we're all surprised you didn't phase last night."

She snorted softly and went back to looking out the window. "And that's why Dad is sending me to stay on the compound. With not as many humans around, I have less of a chance of seriously maiming someone. I don't know why he's sending Katie and Parker though."

"He doesn't want you to be alone," Parker said. "We've never really been separated before and you're not used to being up on the compound."

As we pulled into the parking lot, Wren and I shared a look before I parked. To be honest, if he and I were ever separated, it would kill me. But more than likely, he would be mated into another pack or start his own depending on how much power he gains when he shifts for the first time. He was getting close, too, just like Nechole. For his sake, I really hoped he'd phase like Mom. The shift was ridiculously painful even though I'd been born with the gene and never fought the change. It still fucking hurt so I tried to avoid it as much as possible.

He gave me a small smile before we all got out.

The store wasn't packed out, probably because it was in the middle of the week and people were at work. Only those who were elderly or had odd-hour jobs were there.

I grabbed a cart and so did Parker. With three girls, one of which was about to become a werewolf capable of eating a whole cow by herself, two buggies were necessary for all the food we were about to pack into them. Luckily the cabin had been updated in appliances and had a kitchen to match the place. Plus each room had a mini-fridge just in case roommates didn't want to share.

So we went aisle by aisle. And with every foot, the four of us started to loosen up and laugh more. We made jokes and found that we all had the same sense of humor. Parker got along really well with Wren, probably because they were both the babies of their siblings.

Mostly, Nechole and Parker went for the fresh fruits and veggies because Aunt Tricia always cooked. They rarely went out unless Uncle Embry was in the mood for pizza or take-out. And even then, Aunt Tricia had learned to make a lot of that from scratch. As wolves, no matter the species, we liked to stay healthy and the girls had learned to cook from their mother. That was a thing with the females on the rez and compound. It wasn't sexist. Just a very female thing to do to want to feed your family while the male does the hard lifting. In packs, unless the female was especially alpha, the females liked to be taken care of in every other way but house duties. That's the way it had always been.

Come to think of it, that's how I was, too. I preferred to watch Dox be the aggressive of the two of us in a fight or skirmish. His beast mode always turned me on. As for me, I already loved having the house cleaned up and cooking for him when he came home from the shop. It was the feminine in me coming out and accepting his dominance over me. Not as in my pack leader status but of our private relationship. Our public one depended entirely on which pack we were dealing with for the day. But alone and at home, I was his female through and through.

"Crap," Nechole said. "I forgot the crackers that Katie likes."

"I'll go get 'em," Parker said.

Wren went with her, leaving me with the other buggie.

"Thanks for this," Nechole said quietly. "This is the most fun we've had in a while. We rarely hang out with anybody. Parker has Will and Bray when they're not busy or with their mates. But Katie and I usually only have each other. I think that's why I gravitated toward Eric. He was a fresh face and seemed genuinely interested me."

Stopping in the middle of the aisle, I pulled her to a stop. "Nechole, I am so sorry that we aren't as close as we could be. I've been so consumed with my own crap ever since Dox announced that he'd imprinted on me. And even before that, I wasn't social, still caught up in crap because of my insecurities of following Haleigh. You deserved so much better out of your family. Because of Aunt Tricia, you're as much a part of my pack as you are Dox's even if you phase instead of shift. Things should have been different on my end."

Putting a hand on my arm, she stopped me. "It means a lot, Rye. It really does. Our lack of connection is also on us. We've had the opportunity to come up here and we didn't. We chose to stay separated. So on behalf of us, we're sorry, too."

And right there in the middle of grocery store, we hugged it out, holding each other hard.

For a long time, my cousins had been in the back of my mind and every time they surfaced, guilt would make me bury them back into the out of sight, out of mind area of my brain. That was going to end. Their mom was my dad's sister, the sister of the pack leader. They had as much right to pack politics as Wren and I did.

When we pulled back, Nechole frowned. "Where are they? The crackers are only a couple aisles over. And Parker knows exactly what to get."

Together, we hauled the buggies forward and started walking in front of the aisles.

When we found them three aisles down, I frowned.

Parker was pushing Wren back as she glared up at an older woman who was staring at her in a type of surprised awe. From this angle, I couldn't get a clear look at her, but I had a feeling I knew who she was. Especially as an older man turned the corner at the other end of the aisle and expressed shock.

"Tricia?" the woman said. "Walker?"

"No," Parker said angrily. "I am not my mother. Get away from us."

Parker wasn't being rude. She was steadily backing up and something told me the woman had tried to touch her.

I shared a look with Nechole. She was just as angry as I was. So we both started walking toward them at the same time the man on the other side did.

"But you look just like her," the woman whispered.

"Well I'm not her, so back off. Who are you anyway?"

The woman reached out to take Parker's arm.

Nechole growled. "What is it with everyone wanting to grab us?" she muttered.

When we got close enough that I wouldn't have to yell and bring attention to us, I snapped, "Hey! Let her go. Right now."

The man joined us. "June, what are you…oh, my God," he said as he got a good look at me and Parker.

Just as he said her name, I got a good look at the woman.

And growled.

"Who are you?" Parker said through gritted teeth as she wrenched her arm away.

Pulling Wren away from the man and toward me, I answered angrily. "That's our _very_ estranged grandmother." When I'd started asking questions about our family, Mom and Dad had told me bits and pieces of their parents. Then, when I'd gotten to a certain age, they'd told me everything and had begged me to avoid Forks as much as possible in fear of this very thing happening.

I glared at the man. "And grandfather."

June reached out again, this time toward me and Wren. "You look so much like Walker. And Christa."

I jerked us back out of reach. Hearing my parents' names come out of her mouth like they were so familiar and had lost them to a tragic accident pissed me off to no end. "Don't you dare touch us. Not after what you did to our parents. You're not our family. You made that very clear to them a long time ago. Girls, let's get our stuff and go." I didn't want to use their names because I didn't want that woman to even think about saying them. Then I glared at the older pair. "Don't follow us. Don't come near us. Don't even try to talk to us. Or you'll see just how much of my father's anger is in me."

While June teared up, David stepped forward.

I made sure that Wren was pushed behind me with Parker and Nechole as I faced him.

"Don't threaten us," he demanded.

At that, I could feel the wolf bubble up under my skin. She was itching for a fight and trying to get her claws out. I held her back but I knew my eyes had changed because his face paled and he took a step back. "Threaten _you_? Your wife is the one who just put her hands on Par-my cousin. Then tried to touch me and my brother. You once called my dad a monster. Corner me or my family, and you'll see how the spawn of that monster reacts. Do _not_ threaten me." Backing up, so as to keep my eyes on them, I said over my shoulder, "Let's go. We have enough for now and can get more later somewhere else."

We all backed up until we were out of the aisle and away from them. Quickly, we jumped into line with the fastest cashier. I struggled to pull the wolf back and get my eyes under control. We didn't need more civilians to know that we existed. It would just cause more problems and make my dad's prophecy that much more real. Closing my eyes, I took some deep breaths and promised the wolf we'd go for a run later, maybe with Dox.

After a few moments, I felt hands on my shoulders.

"Look at me," Nechole whispered. She was standing close, blocking anybody else from seeing me.

I flipped my eyes up.

She relaxed. "You're good." Then she hugged me. "Thank you."

Briefly, I hugged her back. "Family," I said softly. "Through and through."

While she, Wren, and Parker hustled with emptying the buggies, I turned and watched to make sure our grandparents didn't come up behind us. No way was I letting them anywhere near my brother or cousins. They'd have to kill me first.

Ten minutes later, Parker was pulling on my sleeve. I kept walking backward and she kept her hand maneuvering me as we made it out of the store and to the car. I kept up the vigilance right up until the moment I had to get behind the wheel. Then I floored it out of the parking lot, shooting us toward home.

 **WalkerPOV**

Livid.

The word didn't cover what I was feeling as I leaned back against my desk with my two kids and two nieces standing in front of me.

Wren hadn't done any talking. He just stood beside his sister as she and Parker explained what had happened at the store. My son wasn't scared, he was just simply letting the girls do their thing. In fact, he looked pretty pissed as he looked at Parker's arm where my mother had apparently grabbed her.

Christa, Tricia, and Embry were likewise pissed.

Tricia was holding Parker's arm out. "I can't believe she handled you that roughly. What the hell?"

Parker shook her head. "Wren and I were just walking past her when I heard a gasp and then she just…grabbed me. She did it twice. The nail marks hurt the worst. They're from me pulling away from her."

I looked at Ryell. "You got out of there okay?"

She nodded. On the outside, she seemed calm, but I could sense the anger bubbling under the surface. It was the icy anger of the wolf. In this moment, she could kill and not bat an eye. "Yeah. I told them to stay away from us and watched our backs until we got in the car. After we put up the groceries, we came here."

Behind her, the door burst open and Dox came barreling in. His eyes zeroed in on Ryell after they'd taken in the entire room. He went straight for her. "I just heard what happened. Are you okay?"

She nodded again. "I'm fine. Pissed, but fine."

Even through her assurances, his eyes raked her body. Nothing about it was sexual. When he was done of his evaluation of her, he turned to Wren. "And you?"

Wren nodded. "I'm good."

Dox nodded and I was more than grateful for him. He always looked out for Wren as though my son were a little brother. It was good to know that Wren had another man to go to if he wasn't comfortable with me.

"So what's going to happen now?" he asked, crossing his muscled arms over his chest.

I shared a look with Embry, Tricia, and Christa. "I think it's time for a visit."

Embry nodded but said, "Not me. I'm too pissed already what with Katie. And now this with Parker?" He shook his head this time. "Tricia better go."

My sister nodded, looking as pissed as everyone felt. Her ice blue eyes were electric with her anger. "I'm rankly pissed off right now. First Katie…"

"That was my fault, Mom," Nechole said.

Tricia looked at her and tried to reign in her anger. "No, it wasn't. It was Eric's for thinking he had a right to touch you in the first place. But that's not what this is about. The woman who called me a pervert for being with your father put her hands on my child, a child I had with your father." She looked at Parker. "I will not stand for my children being hurt, especially by that woman." She looked at me. "Shall we, brother dearest? I'm ready for a family visit."

I looked at Christa.

She nodded once.

* * *

Fifteen minutes later, the truck screeched to a stop in front of the house I'd grown up in. Everything looked the same as the day I'd packed up and went to live with Christa.

God, that was so long ago.

But neither Tricia nor I were in the mood for reminiscing. We were both out of the truck and stalking up the walkway with a single-minded purpose.

Tricia beat me to the front door, pounding her fist on the heavy wood.

"Open this door," she growled. "Or I'll bust the damn thing down."

It took a few minutes before the locked slid open. The door opened as far as the heavy chain allowed. No doubt it was silver.

My father peeked out. "Go away. We want nothing to do with you."

Tricia growled again. "Should have thought of that before you put your hands on my kid. Open this door. It's time we had a talk."

The man sneered right after he gained his composure. "You're one of them."

"Damn straight."

He looked up at me. "And you?"

"My daughter threatened you. And Parker is my niece. Be thankful her dad isn't the one who came or that door would already be busted down. We're being civil, David."

His eyes went back to Tricia, full of doubt.

I put a hand on her shoulder. "She'll calm down once we talk. Do you really want to do this out here?"

He took a moment to think before the door closed, the chain was slid off, and the door opened again.

Tricia marched right in with me behind her. She went straight for June and got all up in her face. "Don't you _ever_ put your hands on my kids again, you horrible woman. You scared the hell out of them and pissed me the fuck off."

Surprisingly, the woman straightened and looked sternly at Tricia. "She was my granddaughter and I've never gotten to see them-,"

The smack that Tricia landed across her face was loud.

I had to grab David's arm and hold him back "Don't interfere," I ordered.

He glared at me but it quickly died down when he saw my eyes and teeth. I'd purposely pulled out the affects just to scare him.

"How dare you pull that card with me?!" Tricia shouted. "You disowned us! Why in the hell would we want our kids anywhere near you? Kids who aren't human? You will never come near them again. They don't want you, not after what you did to us."

Once June got over her shock, she said, " _You_ left _us_ , Tricia. You picked them over us. Those kids didn't have a choice in being born to you, but that doesn't mean I would love them any less."

"Are you hearing yourself?" Tricia demanded. "That's hypocrisy on the highest level." She shook her head. "They're old enough to make their own decisions, but you will _not_ approach them again. Don't you ever touch my children. And if you think _this_ is angry, you haven't seen anything yet should you go near them again. Do you understand me? Do you really think they'll want to be around a woman who called their mother a pervert? Who called their father a monster? Walker has done nothing to earn that horrible description. He is the best pack leader, the best father to his kids. And Embry would do anything for me and our girls. You are _so blind_." Finally her anger started to die down and she backed away so that she could see both of our parents. "We're not monsters. We don't hurt people. The packs protect. That's all we've ever done." Shaking her head, she glared at both of them. "You disgust me. Both of you."

As she came over to me, I pushed David away and cooled my jets on the show. My fangs went back to normal teeth and my eyes changed back.

I wrapped my arm around my sister's shoulders. "Same here. I could never, ever throw out my kids. I could never throw them away like you did with us. Not once did you give us the chance to explain or show you our world. All this time, if you would have just listened, you could have gotten to know your grandchildren and great-grandchildren. But because of your blind hatred, you made your choice. And now we're making ours. Stay away from our kids because the next time this happens, our visit won't be half as pleasant as it was today. And you might very well have two packs coming after you. We are animals now and we will react to a threat as animals. You got lucky that my daughter didn't show you just how vicious we can be when threatened. She is next in line to be pack leader and is awfully powerful. Hurt her or anyone she loves, it won't be just her to come after you. Her mate will be ten times worse than me. And I won't stop him."

David stepped in front of June protectively. "Are you threatening us?"

I shrugged. "You're playing a very dangerous game." I looked over his shoulder at June. "Parker, though she hasn't changed, is a member of the pack and you put your hands on her. That doesn't fly with us. As I said, we're not human, and you need to remember that the next time you see them and feel the need to get in their way. They weren't born into human tradition, but that of wolves. We work on instinct. And let me tell you right now, if you had grabbed one of _my_ kids, I wouldn't be this calm. As it is, I'm still pissed at seeing marks on my niece. So don't think for any amount of time that I will be lenient with you. The wolves, no matter which pack, own this land now. And when Jacob Black finds out that his niece was hurt, he won't be so nice either. Especially since he knows what you did to me and Tricia the night his daughter was born. He doesn't take kindly to child abusers."

June swallowed. "It was an accident. I didn't realize-,"

"No. You didn't," Tricia said. "Because you didn't take the time to understand _us_ when you had the chance, you don't understand the faux pas you made in touching her. The packs are their own family and we protect our own. I'm telling you now, if you see them out again, do not approach them. Because you disowned us, our kids are not your family or your concern. Do not think you have any right to be in their lives. You gave that up when you threw us away."

My sister pulled away. "Come on. Let's go home. I need to see my girls."

Nodding, I turned to follow her to the door. But on my way out, I paused and looked back. "You will always be my parents. I can't help my circumstances but I am making the best of what I have, giving my all to those who aren't strong enough to make it on their own. I'm giving my kids the best lives that I can. If you think what we are is all fun and games, it's not. We've all gone through hell and lost some good people along the way. You have your human nightmares, but I can guarantee you that our nightmares would drive you mad. And we deal with them to keep _you_ safe. Even though you hate us for what we've become, we will always protect this town because we're the beasts who have the ability and the responsibility to do it."

And with that, I followed my sister out of the house and went back home to my family.

* * *

 **I have been waiting for this confrontation for forever! And I absolutely loved every bit of it. I loved Ryell, too. Please tell me what you think! Love y'all! xoxoxo**


	12. Chapter 12

**Whew! Guys, I am so sorry. I've been struggling with this one for some reason. But I love that you guys are loving Gage and Nechole! Makes my life easier. I'm thinking we might getting into some heavy drama pretty soon, but idk yet. I don't use outlines. They never work for me. I always change things around. A lot of you are also asking about updates on The Circle. As I told one person who messaged me, right now, I'd rather work on one story and give better writing than trying to shove out two stories just to make you guys happy about updates and being eh about my work. I really don't just ignore writing. I have to think about how I want things played out. Sometimes, I do know what I want to happen but I have to sit and figure out how to get the story there. I have to fill in the blanks. So thanks for hanging in with me and being patient!**

 **Please Enjoy!**

* * *

 **AshPOV**

"How are they?" Cole asked as he put a glass of something in my hand and sat down next to me on the couch.

Keeping my eyes closed, I swallowed and said, "If one more person abuses my family, I'm going to get violent."

"Mmm, sounds hot," Cole said with a smile in his voice.

Opening my eyes, I moved my head to look at him. "Everyone's okay according to Dox. Tricia and Walker went to confront their parents. And Katie is still healing. Nechole said she wants to be the one to deal with her ex."

Cole nodded. "I don't blame her, but she should probably have someone go with her, someone who can help if she phases."

Bringing my arm up, I found that my glass was filled with tea. I took a sip. Perfectly sweetened. "She's asked Dox to go with her. Not sure if that's the best choice given how volatile he is, but to be alpha, he's got to have some level of control over himself. Otherwise neither of the packs will follow him."

"Well, he has changed since he and Rye slept together. He's a lot more…more."

"Muchier?" I asked with a smile.

Cole grinned back and nodded. "He's gained a lot of muchness."

We laughed at the literary reference just as the side door to the house opened.

"Just me," Victoria said.

We both looked over our shoulders and the back of the couch.

"How'd it go?" Cole asked.

Toria smiled over at us. "Great. Carlisle says the baby and I are healthy."

Pulling her shirt back into place, she picked something out of her bag and came over to us. She plopped down next to me and held out her hand.

Another ultrasound photo.

"Take it," she said. "You can see his face."

It had been a week since Cole and I had made our decision to take in her son if her final decision was to let him go. And since then, we'd secretly been making plans for the extra room. Nobody but the two of us knew because we didn't want excitement. We wanted Toria to make her own decision after the birth.

So, as I reached out for the glossy picture, I told my hand that it better not shake or I'd cut it off. But it was very hard not to think that this was a photo of…my son. Something in my gut told me that this little boy would grow up to call me dad.

With a steadier than I expected hand, I took it and held it between myself and Cole. We shared a glance before studying the image.

There was a heavy feeling in my gut as I looked over at her and then down to her stomach. "So you're healthy?" I asked in a rough voice.

She stared at me hard, no doubt reading into the emotion, before she nodded. "We both are. Carlisle says I'm in the clear. He said there's definite improvement even over this short a time." She ran a palm over her stomach. "The baby is getting stronger; I can feel it when he moves. And he's been moving a lot more."

"That's good."

My mate's sister smiled softly. She took my hand, spread out my fingers, and pressed my palm to her stomach. "Wait for it," she whispered.

A few seconds passed before I felt her flesh under my hand move.

Toria smiled. "There he is. He always gets active when I come home, like he knows it's time to relax."

"Sounds about right," Cole said proudly.

She gave her brother a look. "Not when I'm trying to sleep, asshat."

Cole lifted a shoulder in a shrug before taking the glossy image from me. "Just wait until he's here. None of us will be sleeping much."

Beside me, Toria's smile slipped as she absently smoothed her shirt over her stomach. "I'm hoping to be out of here after he's born."

My hand snapped up as Cole looked at her sharply.

"What?" he demanded.

She shrugged. "You know, to give the three of you bonding time. Besides, I make enough to afford an apartment on the rez, especially since I no longer have medical bills." Her eyes went to the picture. "It'll also be an easier separation."

Cole shook his head. "Toria, we've talked about this. If you want him-,"

"No," she said sharply and with a glare. "No, Cole. I've made up my mind."

"You made a promise," I reminded her in a low voice.

Sighing, she looked at me. "I know, Ash. I promised I'd think about it. And I have. He needs a better life than what I could give him. As his mother, this is my responsibility to him. I'm not ready for this, and I doubt I ever will be. Kids just aren't my thing. I hate being pregnant. Not being able to do or eat certain things, not being able to see my feet. And if my boobs get any bigger, I'm going to have a fit."

Cole and I chuckled a little before the humor died.

Victoria wrapped her hand around mine and squeezed. "I know all of that sounds selfish, and maybe it is. I'm just not mother material. And I want this for you. Both of you. I already know you'll do it because that's just the type of men you are. Cole would never abandon his blood, and you would never abandon Cole. As soon as he's born, this little boy is yours. I'm just the breathing incubator. And," she went on quickly, overriding Cole's protests, "I'm more than okay with that. Maybe someday, I can really have a baby for you, you know, if you wanted to be the donor, Ash."

I frowned. "But you just said you hate being pregnant."

"I do, but for the two of you, I will do just about anything. If you want a child that is biologically yours, just say the word. But preferably not for a couple years or so," she said with a laugh. "I'd like to have my body back for just a little while."

I just sat there and stared at her in awe. "You would really do that for us? For me?"

"Absolutely." Her expression softened as she reached up to touch my face. "Years ago, I picked the wrong family. I should have protected Cole by calling the pack for help. And I should have left with him. But I didn't. And I was wrong. Now, I have the opportunity to make things right."

Holding her gaze, I leaned into her touch.

With a soft smile, she leaned in to kiss my cheek before getting up and kissing her brother. "I'm going to go lie down. It was a long day."

"Take some food," Cole said. "Ash packed up your plate after you texted that you'd be late. It's in the fridge. Just pop it in the microwave. Please?"

I could see that she wanted to argue, but just like me, she couldn't refuse her brother when he asked nicely. Without complaint, she went into the kitchen and heated up the food before grabbing a bottle of water and going to her room.

Once she was settled in, Cole and I sat on the couch with the photo on my thigh between us.

"We're gonna be dads," he said softly.

Looking over, I watched him as he stared down at the image. Several emotions crossed his features including sadness, awe, and love.

In truth, I was scared shitless. But if my eldest brother could do it with his mate, then so could I.

 **NecholePOV**

The next day around lunchtime, I took a deep breath, trying to shake the nerves.

"You ready?"

Dox's deep voice was both a comfort and a reminder. He was going with me to face Erik. I'd asked him to go so that we could have a moment to bond or whatever because of Ryell. If we were going to start being around each other, I needed to acclimate to Dox as well.

Shaking myself out of the nerves, I slipped into my raincoat. The sky had decided to dump on us today. "Yeah, let's get this over with."

Katie was feeling better and would be coming up later in the day to move in. Parker and I had left her stuff for her to unpack and arrange her room the way she wanted it. I wanted to be here when she came up.

As we left the cabin, Dox was the first person that didn't tell me I didn't have to do this in person. He respected the fact that I actually had to. Erik needed to see in my face that it was over, that I was done with him. Even Dad had tried to talk me out of it and had asked if I'd wanted him to go. As much as I loved him, I didn't want him in trouble for "accidentally" killing Erik. And I didn't need Erik's death on my conscience.

After Parker hugged me and wished me luck, I followed Dox to the parking area where he kept his perma-truck. He drove us down the rez in a rather peaceful silence.

When we were almost to the park where Erik had agreed to meet us, Dox asked, "Do you want me visible or to hang back?"

It wasn't something I had thought about. I was just happy he'd agreed to come with. "What do you think is best?"

"I'd rather be right there with you no matter how pissy he gets. That kid isn't hurting a female around me."

I nodded. "If that's what you want. I really don't think this is going to take too long. But thank you for coming with me."

He shrugged massive shoulders. "Of course I came. You're family, and I do anything for family. You and I may not be blood or particularly close, but that doesn't change the fact that you're pack and Rye's cousin. If you got hurt, it would kill her. And I refuse to wipe tears off my mate's face because you got hurt. So Erik is gonna know that he'd better keep his hands to himself this time because I won't hesitate."

A cold shiver ran down my spine at his tone. He was not a male to play around or say things he didn't mean. I didn't think he'd flat out kill Erik, but Dox would make him hurt.

It didn't take long before we were pulling up into the parking lot of the park. Dox parked the truck next to Erik's little Saturn. The comparison between the cars was much like the comparison between the two boys. Erik's car was small with little power. The kid himself was lean and all bark, no bite. Dox, on the other hand, was all bulky power, capable of crushing Erik with a blindfold and one hand tied behind his back. Dox was all bite should anyone aggress upon him or someone he loved. He _was_ the one to actually finish off Eleanora by snapping her neck after Jules had beaten the coven. He'd proven to be one of the two most aggressive of the alpha kids. Will was right there with him with how he'd killed Melice that night everything had gone down.

"Ready?"

Breathing deep, I looked out over park. Erik was standing next to empty playground underneath an umbrella. I zipped up my raincoat and lifted the hood. "Shall we?"

Together, the two of us hopped out of the truck. Dox remained coatless as the sky poured over us, and I had a feeling it was on purpose. He wanted to show off a little, to show Erik which one of them was the badass. Fine with me. Rain soaked through his clothes, sticking them to the hard muscles of his body, that t-shirt a slick second skin. His black hair was plastered down to his head and little over his forehead. He didn't keep his hair as long as his brothers.

As the rain got harder, forcing me back into the hood, Dox let me go ahead of him. He followed behind like a violent shadow.

When I got close enough to him, I saw Erik's eyes shift to Dox for just a moment before coming back to me. He nodded. "Thanks for meeting with me. How's Katie?"

Behind me, Dox growled just a little.

I didn't turn to him. If Erik heard the sound, he didn't show it.

"She's going to be okay. We're all moving up to the compound."

Erik's eyes popped wide, his brows going up. "What? Because of this?"

I shook my head. "No. Because of me. There's lower risk of me hurting someone if I phase. But look, this meet and greet isn't about that."

Again, his eyes flicked to Dox. "Could we get some privacy?" he said grudgingly.

I turned just far enough to see Dox lift an eyebrow and cross his heavily muscled arms over his chest as he planted his boots in the muddy grass.

"No."

One word. Nothing else. But solid enough to get his point across.

Swinging my gaze back to Erik, I found him glaring at me.

"Really?" he demanded. "What happened with Katie was an accident. I wouldn't hurt you."

The rain was now falling so much that a little stream had started falling from my hood. It shivered as I shook my head. "That's not the point. And this talk isn't going to last long. I'm here to break up with you, Erik." Shaking my head, I glanced up at the churning sky. "I'm sorry that I let us go on this long so I'm sorry."

There was a sadness to him when I looked back down but also of surprise. He moved forward, reaching out.

Dox's growl was loud enough that, if there had been other people in the park, they would have heard it. He moved forward and pushed Erik's hand away from me as I stepped back, still looking at Erik.

"Look, I'm really sorry. But this is it. You hurt my sister. Accident or not, I can't risk my sisters' safety. And you and I are not meant to be together. You have too much prejudice against the packs. I don't trust that you're with me to be _with me_. You liked being an outsider with an inside source on pack business. That ends. Today."

Opening his mouth to say something, he stepped forward.

But Dox stopped him. He looked over his shoulder, a question in his eyes.

I nodded.

Dox turned back to Erik. "We're done here. You and she have nothing else to say."

Now Erik got pissed as he glared up at Dox. It was brave but incredibly stupid. "The hell we don't!" Then he glared at me. "Come on, Nechole. Don't do this. We were good together."

This time the head shake was in exasperation. "Yeah, when you thought I wasn't going to change. We would have been fine if I were stay human, but I'm not going to. I'm going to change, and you can't handle that. I can't be what you want me to be. You're not mine."

"How do you know?" he asked over Dox's shoulder.

"Because I…it's a feeling, Erik."

His gaze went back to Dox. "So is this the other guy?"

Dox frowned. It wasn't in anger, but in confusion.

It was the day for head shaking apparently seeing as how I did it again. "Don't be ridiculous, Erik. You really think I would have brought a side piece to break up with you? And I've told you, there isn't another guy. I went to our date upset because a friend of mine was upset."

"A friend?" he sneered.

Highly irritated, I growled. "Yes! Gage is just a friend!"

The moment I said it, I knew I shouldn't have.

Erik's face closed down good and tight. But anger still burned in his eyes. "Gage, huh?"

Of course they knew each other. They were the same age and had been in school with Tate. Once upon a time, the three of them had been really good friends.

"Erik, really. There's no other guy. I just…I can't deal with… _this_ ," I said motioning up and down to him. "Tell me something, after I change, could you honestly say that you wouldn't be jealous? Or angry? I can't help this." I put my hands to my chest. "You don't love me, Erik. Even I can see that."

His brown stare burned. "Then tell me why I'm this jealous and pissed off at someone who was once my best friend?"

"Because you think I was with him and he's part of the pack. You've always been jealous of him and Tate, even before they joined the packs." Shoving my hands in my pockets, I found that they were full of water, but I kept them in place and shook. "I'm sorry, Erik. It's over. Dox? Can we go, please?"

Dox nodded and looked at Erik. "Do yourself a favor and don't touch her as we walk away. Or I might _accidentally_ break something."

Fury ran across Erik's face as well as a touch of fear as Dox turned away.

He put his hand on my elbow and forced me to start walking.

One more glance at Erik. There was nothing on his face. No hurt or longing or love or disappointment. Just…nothing.

Something in my chest twinged as I turned back to let Dox lead me away. That look had let me know that this past year had been for nothing even though some part of me had known for a while that he hadn't been the one for me.

But as we walked, I shook off the little bit of pain. This was good for both of us. It needed to end here. Erik could live a normal, human life away from all the dangers of being entwined with the packs. And who knew? Maybe his kids would eventually join the pack because he was of a wolf line. Hell, he'd probably disown them.

Back in the truck, Dox turned up the heat even though he'd probably die from it. I, on the other hand, was actually shivering. He turned the vents toward me.

"You okay?" he asked in a low voice.

Looking out the window and then the windshield at Erik's dark, unmoving form under the umbrella, I took a deep calming breath. "Actually, yes. I think I am."

 **GagePOV**

"Cordy!" Hunter shouted.

Shooting up from my seat at the table, I ran after my niece. "I've got her."

I got to her just as she jumped off the back of the couch. Her dark hair flared out wildly as I caught her against my chest and had to swing with her momentum. The entire time, she giggled and held onto me.

As soon as I put her on her feet, she ran back around to climb up the cushions. "Again, again!

"No, ma'am."

"No, Cordy."

Hunter and I spoke at the same time.

Cordy pouted at her mother.

My sister gave her daughter a stern look. "No, Cordelia. Get down and come eat your lunch," she ordered in her heavy accent. When Cordy kept pouting, she said, "Do you want to have to tell Papa that you were a bad girl today?"

A look of severe upset took over her face as she shook her head, her hair flailing around her shoulders. "No, mama." Cordy was a daddy's girl through and through. She loved Will something fierce. Even though she couldn't really decipher emotion at three years old, she knew that she didn't want to disappoint her father by having to give bad news at her daily report. Will always asked Cordy if she'd been good before checking in with Hunter. It was a good way to teach that lying was bad. She'd learned that the hard way when her favorite stuffed animal had been taken away from her the first and only time she'd ever lied to Will about her behavior.

"Then do as I ask," Hunter was saying. "Maybe after you eat, Uncle Gage will play with you. But only _after_ you eat."

Taking pity on my niece, I held my hand out to her. "Come on, sweetpea. Eat up and we can go jump in some puddles."

Instantly, she brightened up as she took my hand.

Hunter rolled her eyes and shook her head.

It had become a thing between me and Cordy to go play in the rain and jump in puddles. But I was the one who had to oversee her cleanup afterward.

Still grinning, Cordy climbed up into her chair just as Hunter put a grilled cheese in front of her.

The girl took a huge bite with her small mouth, melted cheese getting all over her face.

Trying not to bust out laughing, I pressed my lips together and looked over at my sister.

It took her a moment to get her face to lose the humor. Eventually she had to put her hand over her mouth. "Slow down, Cordy," she managed. "Smaller bites and chew, darling."

Cordy grinned, cheese smeared all over her face as she took a smaller bite.

Hunter turned to me as we both sat at the table. "Thanks for catching her. I wouldn't have made it."

I shrugged a shoulder. "No problem."

Her hand was warm on my arm, bringing my attention to her. "Are you alright? You seem a bit distracted."

Watching my niece eat, I inhaled deeply. "Nechole is breaking things off with Erik today. Dox is going with her."

"Ah."

I slid my gaze to her. Her hazel eyes bored into me knowingly.

"I know Will told you," I said, picking at the placemat in front of me. "About me. I'm just worried."

As Cordy started doing that kid wobble/dance in her chair and sang to herself as she ate, Hunter and I both watched her.

"Why haven't you told her?" she asked.

I sighed. "I missed my chance. I should have said something before she got hot and heavy with Erik. Now? Look at what happened because I didn't. Katie got hurt and Nechole almost phased. She could have killed him. And I'm going to be in for a world of angry female when she finds out. _And_ I still have no idea how or even when to bring it up. Definitely not right now what with the break-up and Katie still healing up. But I just…" I ran a hand through my hair. "I just want to be there for her."

Hunter rubbed my shoulders. "You can be there for her without telling her about the imprint. Ask her if she and her sisters need anything. Or ask Will what he thinks you should do. He knows the girls better than I do. They grew up with him."

"Ask me what to do about what?"

Both Hunter and I jumped at the sound of Will's deep voice behind us.

We turned to see the man himself standing between the columns that separated the dining area from the living room.

Hunter had a hand at her throat. "Good grief. You scared the crap out of us. Didn't even hear you come in."

Leaning a shoulder against one of the wooden beams, he crossed his arms and gave us an amused look. "That's because I'm a ninja. Didn't you know that?"

Hunter and I gave each other looks.

"If you're a ninja," I said scathingly, "then I'm a ballerina."

Will chuckled. "Then hop to it, twinkle-toes."

"Papa!" Cordy shouted and then promptly hopped down from her chair to run around the table. For some reason, whenever she was with both Will and Hunter at the same time, she called Will "papa". But when it was just him, it was "daddy". Probably because Hunter always referred to Will as the former.

With a grin identical to his daughters, Will scooped her up and hefted her into his arms. "Hey, baby girl. Phew," he said when he got a good look at her face. "What did momma and Uncle Gage give you?"

He took the napkin Hunter handed him and started to rub her face clean, peeling the cooled cheese from her skin.

"Gwilled cheeeese," she sang.

Chuckling, he said, "I can see that. Looks like you're wearing most of it though."

"Unca Gathe sai'- he sai' we can go outhide and-and pway in pu-ulles."

Will assumed an appropriate mix of surprise and excitement. "Play in the puddles?" he asked with a gasp.

She nodded. "Uh-huh."

Now Will's expression turned suspicious. "Were you a good girl today?"

Immediately, her excitement died down as she looked at her mother.

She nodded. "Tell papa what you did."

Pouting again, Cordy gripped the collar of Will's t-shirt. "I dumped off the couth."

Will's dark brows spiked high into his hairline. "You jumped off the couch?"

She nodded, that lower lip still out. And even from here, I could see her eyes shine with the tears she'd no doubt let out if he got onto her.

As it was, Will was checking her over to make sure she was okay.

"She's fine," Hunter said with a smile. "Gage caught her before she hit the floor. I daresay she might try to do it again."

Will looked over at me as he rubbed his daughter's back. She was now curled against his throat and sniffling. He nodded at me in thanks before looking down at her. "It's okay, baby girl. Just make sure there's an adult to catch you, okay? We don't want you to get hurt. Mommy and Daddy would be sad if you got hurt. You don't want us to be sad, do you?"

Pitifully, she shook her head against him. "No."

"Then promise me you'll be more careful?"

She nodded. "Otay, Papa."

He kissed her head and rocked her a little before he knelt down and put her on her feet. "Why don't you go finish eating and then we'll go play in the rain, okay?"

Quite a bit more cheerful, she ran back around the table to climb back into her seat. "Otay, Papa!"

Will sat in his seat the head of the table on Hunter's left.

"You're home early," Hunter said, her body completely turning in her chair to face him.

It was funny. Neither Will nor Hunter really noticed how they reacted to each other. And it wasn't just today. Every time they were together, they were all about each other, even if they participated in conversation and activities. Hunter was always attuned to Will, always where he wanted her to be even if he didn't tell her. And Will always knew where Hunter was. His gaze would seek her out until he found her, even if he was in the middle of talking.

In short, their relationship was the one I'd always wanted for myself. I wanted a female by my side that was all my own. A female that I could be territorial over, sharing our own private smiles.

Will shrugged and dragged a finger over his placemat. "The power went out at the shop. We waited for about an hour and then called it a day. I'm surprised it's not out here."

"It's flickered a bit, but not gone out."

He nodded. "So, you said you have something to tell me?"

Instantly, Hunter's demeanor changed, especially as she glanced at me. Her fingers tapped on the table. "Oh, well. Um, it can wait, love-,"

Taking that as the hint it was, I stood up. "It's okay. I was just about to go anyway."

I should have known better though. Hunter went into a panic. She always did when she thought I was upset with her. Ever since she'd come into my life as my sister, she was always careful not to do anything that would make me feel like I was unwanted. But that was stupid, to be honest. We all had our own lives and certain people we wanted to tell certain things to. This was their house and their family, so it only made sense to give them their privacy.

"Oh, no," she scrambled, reaching for me. "No, it's not that. I just-,"

Smiling, I took her hand. "It's okay, sis. Really."

"No, Gage. I want you here. In fact, I want the two most important males in my life to be here."

"Then why does whatever it is have to wait?" Will asked. He shrugged. "We're both here."

Hunter looked at him but her hand moved down my arm to grip my palm in hers. "Your sister's getting married in a week."

Will and I gave each other confused looks.

"So?" we both asked.

My sister smiled and sighed. "Alright, but let's keep this toned down. Please? For her sake?"

Another eye meeting with Will and we both nodded.

Once her mate's hand was in her other, she grinned wider. "Alright. Then I'll just come out with it. I'm pregnant."

There were moments in life, I'd come to find, that were like explosions in your head. Some word or memory popping up that reminded you of better or rougher times. This was one of them. As my ass planted itself back in the chair, I remembered the night Cordy had been born. There'd been lots of screaming on both Hunter and Will's parts. Hunter because of the labor and Will because he was terrified of losing his mate and her blood loss. And then Edward had performed the C-section after Hunter had passed out. The eerie quiet that had followed had lasted a lifetime before Cordy's lungs expanded enough that she could inhale just enough H2O to let out that high-pitch wail, shattering the silence in the house. That had been like the gun going off at a racetrack. Movement and more shouting. Busy, busy, busy.

And then suddenly…I'd been holding my niece. My tiny, yellow niece with tubes taped to her face with an oxygen tank attached. Too small, I'd kept thinking. Too fucking small to be alive. And yet, she was. She'd ended up with me because everybody else had been busy around Hunter, trying to keep her alive. They'd deduced that Cordy would survive so Hunter was the priority after they'd made sure the baby had been seen to. Will should have been the one caretaking his daughter, not me. But he'd been so scared of losing Hunter that, for a moment, he'd blamed Cordy for the condition his mate had been in.

But now, sitting at this table, I was both terrified and delighted. Another niece or possibly a nephew was in my future.

When I looked up, Hunter was swiveling her head back and forth. Will was likewise in a state of shock as he sat there in his seat at the head of the table. His mouth was making good exercise as it opened and closed without any sound coming out.

"Will? Gage? Say something?" Hunter said worriedly. This was not going how she thought it would.

I squeezed her hand. "That's great, Hunter. Really." Leaning over, I gave her a hug. "I'm so happy for you. But if we can try to avoid what happened last time, I'd be grateful. And so would several other people." Pulling away, I gave her a grin to let her know I was joking. Kind of.

Will was still competing the Dumfounded-Olympics.

Under the table, I reached out a long leg and kicked him.

He jumped so violently that the table rattled. And Cordy just kept on humming to herself and licking cheese from her fingers.

He cleared his throat. "Ah, sorry. God, I'm sorry." Then he shook his head and brought Hunter's fingers to his lips. There was love and fear and joy on his face. "How do you know? And why don't I?"

Hunter wasn't sure about her mate's response so the smile was gone and her voice wavered as she answered. "I sort of used that scent-blocking spell. With the wedding coming so soon, I didn't want to ruin your sister's spotlight. I'm so sorry."

The head shake was more thorough this time. "No, baby. Don't be." Will grinned, and it was real, reaching all the way into his toffee eyes. "We're really pregnant again?"

With an expression of cautious hope, Hunter nodded. "We are. I took a test and everything. Even went to Carlisle when I knew you'd be at the shop. He took blood tests because I wouldn't do the ultrasound without you and-,"

Cutting her off, Will leaned over the corner of the table and kissed her.

"I'm not mad," he whispered. "A little scared, maybe. But not mad." Reaching over with his other hand, he placed his palm on her stomach. She put her hands over his. "We can do this."

Then he looked at me before the three of us looked at Cordy.

"I don't want her to be an only child," Will said.

Hunter and I shared a look.

"Neither do I," she whispered, still staring at me. "My brother is everything to me."

I had to look away from her and do a manly rub under my eyes. She squeezed my hand.

Will nodded. "I don't know what I would do without my siblings."

"Promise me," Hunter said strongly. "Promise me that we won't tell until after the wedding."

"Why?" Will asked. "Why is that so important to you?"

Seeming to take a minute to put together her response, she went back to watching Cordy. "Because you are the first born son of the alpha. In some cultures and families, that is the most important status. And you already have one child while your siblings are still finding their way. I just don't want to take the attention away from them. Their lives are just as important as ours. Jules is getting married to her soulmate; it's a big day for any female. Ash and Cole are getting ready for a potential son. And Dox and Rye are just getting started, focusing more on the packs than settling. We can wait for a while. Besides, I haven't been pregnant long so hopefully the babe will decide not to do that miracle grow thing and I won't start to show until later." She looked at her mate. "It's important to me that we aren't spotlit all the time."

Will studied her for a long moment before releasing her hand to put his hand on the nape of her neck to pull her in for a kiss on the forehead. "Alright, Hunter. I can live with that. And thank you."

She nodded and pulled back…so that she could smile at me. It was that smile that I didn't like because it meant she was about to change the subject to me. "Not to mention, Gage has his own worries as well."

Will frowned at me. "What about?"

Giving my sister that look of betrayal, I sighed. "Nechole. I don't know what to do."

"Ah," he said, reminding me how much alike he and my sister were.

From there, we dove into talking about the females and my options as well as my mess-ups. I honestly didn't have a lot of choices. The best one though was the tell Nechole before she phased and found out for herself. That way she wouldn't think that I'd never intended to tell her. When you lived with more females than males, as a male you started to learn the way females think. Nechole was no different. She'd take my silence as the indicator that I didn't want her. Which wasn't true. It's just…we didn't really know each other. Our families had never been particularly close, and she'd always been about keeping her sisters out of trouble. Tate and I had spent most of our time following around Will and Bray as well as helping out on the compound. Tate's parents, Sam and Emily, were getting older and had started trying to push Tate out of the house more. Leila, his sister, had been out on the run since her mate's death years ago. Being around here reminded her of him too much for her to stay, but the pack kept tabs on her whenever she phased, and I knew Tate felt relief of hearing her voice for himself after he'd phased and talked to her.

Bottom line: Nechole and I had rarely spent that much time together. When we had, there hadn't been much chitchat. Just pack business as usual.

After all the talking and Cordy yanking my arm begging to go outside, Hunter finally shooed me and Will out of the house.

Once Cordy was all bundled up, she took my hand and practically pulled me outside, excitement shining in her face. She loved the rain. As soon as I opened the door for her, she ran out into the downpour and immediately jumped into a puddle, water splashing all around her. Will and I followed, keeping an eye on her as we put on our own jackets. Now that Will was here to clean her up, I could leave as soon as we were done.

When the door was closed behind us and we were a ways from the house, I looked at my brother-in-law. "You ready for another one?" I asked, nodding my head toward Cordy.

"I guess I have to be," he answered, running his hand through his wet hair to slick it back. He looked much older like that, more like his dad. "I mean, this is what we've been trying for. Scared shitless, of course. Especially after what happened with Cordy. But I was told we were lucky that they didn't have to do an emergency hysterectomy. I'm glad Cordy won't be alone."

"Me, too," I said as we watched her. Being an only child could be rough sometimes. Sure, you were spoiled. But you were basically alone unless you had friends your age. Again, though, after play time was over and it was time to go home, you were alone again. I envied Will and the way he and siblings grew up together. They were close in a way Hunter and I probably would never be. Even after all this time, were still nervous around each other, unable to truly talk about anything we felt we needed to. We circled each other too often, and it hurt because I knew she was waiting to be kicked out, even now. She had a solid home here, and yet, I had the feeling she had one foot that was always ready to dig and run just in case we turned her out.

"Hey, about Nechole," Will said. "She's tough and feisty. I get that. But what every woman wants is honesty. And to feel like she's important. Whenever you talk to her, be completely honest with her. Tell her that you know you screwed up. That'll mean something to her, I can promise you that."

I nodded. "Yeah, I know. I just hate that everything going down with Erik was my fault. If I would have told her-,"

Will put a hand on my shoulder. "Stop. You can't change what happened, and beating yourself up about it isn't going to make anything better. All you can do is learn from it. Besides, I think it would be different, a lot more serious, if the two of you were close. What's going to save you is the fact that you're not. But I would definitely wait until the girls are settled at Walker's before talking to her."

"I wish I knew when she's going to phase because telling her before would be the better option. If she phases and sees me before I can talk to her…"

"She'll know you didn't say anything," Will finished. "And think that you don't want her to know."

"Yep."

"Well, like Hunter said, try to insert yourself. Take Tate with you up there and ask if they need help with anything. They'll like to know that they're being looked after and cared for."

"I'll keep that in mind."

At that moment, the little girl that had everyone wrapped around her finger skipped over to take a hand from each of us and pull us further from beneath the awning of the house. In a matter of moments, Will and I were totally soaked but laughing as we chased Cordy and stomped around in the puddles, muddy water going everywhere.

Seeing how lively she was, it was hard to believe that she'd been a tiny baby that had been the length of my forearm once. She was a happy kid, and smart, too. Learning fast was somewhat of a requirement in pack life, and boy was she good at it. Will and Hunter worked with her everyday on learning her alphabet. Already she could read small words and write a little when she was patient enough to try. And the rest of us helped when the devoted parents needed a break or when Will had pack business to deal with. He was still heavily present as an alpha and always wanted Hunter with him at meetings since he valued her opinion. Will wanted to keep Cordy as far out of pack business as possible until she was older. He and Hunter wanted her to have a proper childhood without the spotlight of alpha hanging over her. They'd also asked the packs to treat her as any other kid and not a "royal" like Will and his siblings had been raised. It was a completely reasonable request. A little hard to follow sometimes, but we all did our best even though she was still treated like a princess. Especially by my dad who still felt guilty about Hunter.

The first hint that something was up was that Cordy had stopped smiling at me over her dad's shoulder. Her eyes moved behind me.

Frowning, I turned around and-

Got a face full of fist.

As my head snapped around and my brain rattled, I stumbled back.

"What the _fuck_?!" Will shouted.

"You son of a bitch!" Erik yelled at me.

Grabbing my jaw to make sure it was still attached to my face, I straightened up and stared at him.

Will put Cordy on the ground and started forward.

I grabbed his arm. "It's okay, Will. This is Erik." Man, that throbbing got worse with the talking. Dude had a good right hook.

Will shook me off and glared at Erik. "I don't give a shit who he is. Who the fuck do you think you are coming onto my property and assaulting my family?"

Behind us, the front door opened.

"Gage? Will?"

"Come take Cordy inside," Will ordered.

Hunter didn't even question him. She came out and motioned toward Cordy to go back to the house. Cordy ran through the rain and puddles to her mother who scooped her up.

Erik pointed an accusing finger at me. Rain poured down harder over all of us, soaking us through to the bones. "It was you she was messing around with behind my back. Wasn't it?"

I frowned. "Nechole? No. Never. She'd never do that to you or anyone."

"Don't lie," he spat. "It's been you the whole fucking time."

Shaking my head, I glared at him. "No, it hasn't. We're just friends, you asshole. Nothing more and nothing less."

"Then look me in the eye and tell me you didn't see her the other day!"

Squinting at his amount of stupid, I threw my hands up. "Wha-of course I did! We're pack. We're going to see each other every now and then. Get over yourself, Erik. You just can't believe that she broke up with you because of _you_. You want there to be someone or something else because you can't handle that you're not Mr. Perfect. Well let me tell you that you better suck it up because life isn't fair. You're not perfect, and you damn sure aren't her mate. So back off."

"Why?" he said snidely. "Because _you_ are?"

The anger was building up so I just gritted my teeth and breathed deep. Typically, I wasn't violent but because of him, I was now thinking of all the compromising positions he may have had Nechole in over the year. Kissing, hugging, cuddling? The imprinted male in me didn't like it. Not one bit.

But my silence cost me.

A dawning of understanding came over Erik's face. "Ah," he breathed. "So it _is_ you."

I just stared at him. "There are things that you don't understand."

"Like what?"

"Pack business," I growled.

The laugh that came out of him sent alarm bells off in my head. "Of course," he hissed. "It's always fucking pack business. Tell me, you gonna share her like you guys share-,"

He didn't get another word out as I lunged for him, a snarl bubbling out of my mouth.

But his luck won out when Will grabbed me around the middle and hauled me back. Using my surprise and his momentum, he spun us around almost like we were dancing until he was standing between me and Erik. Will pushed his hand into my heaving chest as I glared at Erik. The hard palm was an order.

Will gave me a pointed glare before turning to Erik and pointing at him with his free hand. "Get the hell off my property. And stay away from Nechole and Gage."

With a disgusted look, Erik spit on the ground at Will's feet, but his eyes were all on me. "With pleasure."

With that, he spun in the mud and stomped off through the rain.

Will and I watched him until the curtain of falling water blocked him from view, neither of us speaking.

Then my brother-in-law turned to me. "Are you okay?"

Wiggling my jaw a little to test it, I nodded. "Nothing's broken. It's healing."

"Good. What the hell was that about?"

I shrugged. "All I can guess is that either he's good at guessing or that Nechole somehow let my name slip? I have no idea."

"We should tell her."

Before he was even finished saying that dumb idea, I was already shaking my head. "No. She doesn't need this on top of everything else. And she'll want to know what was said and what happened. I'm not ready to tell her yet. Let her and her sisters gets settled. I know I'm going to have to face the music," I said before he could butt in. "I do know that. But not today. Besides, he can't get on the compound and the pack is hypersensitive where those girls are concerned already. No need to make it worse."

Will scrutinized me for a moment before nodding. "Alright, fine. But Hunter's going to want to take a look at you. Let's get back inside."

We started back to the porch shoulder to shoulder. "Thanks for stepping in though. You know, when he said-,"

His heavy hand landed on my shoulder as he shook his head. "I knew you'd want to tear him apart for that comment, and I was ready for him to say something stupid. People who don't understand the pack tend to do that. At our basic instinct, we are animals, Gage. We were chosen to phase or shift because we have that spark of mentality that allows us to forego our human nature when it's most important. Mother Nature is interesting like that." He shrugged. "But anyway, do you think he really cared about Nechole?"

I shook my head. "Not a chance. He didn't care about her. It's all about him. The only reason he'd be pissed about her cheating would be that she felt she had to cheat on _him_ , not that he felt any betrayal. He thinks he's the perfect jock and girl should be honored to be with him. That's why I was surprised that they'd even gotten together to begin with. He used Nechole for status more than anything. Sure, he might have cared about her to an extent, but there's no way he loved her. And that just makes me want to beat his ass even more."

Will chuckled a little but said, "I'm gonna have to ask you not to do that. We don't need the bad press of the pack beating on no-nothing humans that we're supposed to be protecting."

We both stepped through the door after taking our muddy boots off on the porch. After shaking our jackets out, we hung them up to drip onto the rug specifically laid out under the coat rack for that reason.

"Yeah, I hear ya," I said as I shook out my hair. "I have no intention of going after him. My priority is Nechole and her sisters, making sure they're okay."

Will nodded in approval. "Good, good."

From down the hall, Hunter emerged with Cordy in her arms. My niece was wrapped up in a huge fluffy towel that covered everything but her face.

"What happened?" Hunter asked. She put Cordy down, rubbed her hair a little more, and took the towel back. "Go play, darling."

As Cordy ran off to sit in front of the fireplace with her dollhouse, I walked over to hug her. Despite the fact that I was soaking wet, she wrapped her arms around me. "I'm fine, sis. Erik just decided to pay a little visit because he thought that Nechole had been cheating on him with me."

"But why would he think that after all this time?"

With my arms still around her, I shrugged. "Probably something that was said when she broke up with him today. It's nothing to worry about, I promise."

Leaning back, she narrowed her eyes at me. "Are you sure?"

I nodded with a smile. "He hates the pack. Got no reason to come back around. And I'm pretty sure he hurt himself more than me when he punched me, so that makes me feel better, too."

Letting out that exasperated sigh, she cupped my face, running her hand over my jaw. It was only a little tender now so I held back the wince so as not to worry her. "Alright, fine. If you say so."

Gripping her hands, I kissed her knuckles. "I do. I'm fine."

My sister pulled away from me to go back into the kitchen. "I was just making a snack. Sit down and I'll make you some coffee before you go."

Will and I shared a grin and a head shake. All Hunter ever wanted to do was take care of people, and that habit was going to get worse with the pregnancy. She'd hated it when people doted on her when she'd been pregnant with Cordy. It had nearly driven her insane.

Again, Will put his hand around my shoulders and squeezed my neck. "Might as well do what she says. You'll stress her out."

I nodded and we both went for the kitchen table. As we sat down, Will angled his chair so that he could keep an eye on his daughter.

Even with all the drama, we'd ended up back where we'd started.

And wasn't that a metaphor for life.

* * *

 **So we see more of Gage. How do we feel about him? About Erik? Oh yeah...and another baby for the Black family! Some of you are asking for a chapter of Jules's honeymoon. I really doubt that will happen, BUT their wedding will be through their POVs. Maybe a couple other POVs here and there but the vows and whatnot will be from Blay and Jules. Don't worry. I know what you guys want. But please let me know what you think! Love y'all! xoxoxoxo**


	13. Chapter 13

**Wow. I've been gone for a while. I'm so sorry. I just couldn't remember what I was doing with this chapter. But I figured it out and here we are! Almost to the wedding! I doubt that we'll see the honeymoon though. This story is more about Ash and Dox than anybody else even though I know we love all our couples. So after the wedding, I'll definitely be focusing more on our boys and Rye and Victoria. If I do everything I want in this story, it should be long because I've forgotten a lot of things I wanted to do and just now found all my notes. Also, I'm still debating a sequel series but I'm not sure yet. Anywho, I know you guys are ready to read about drama, drama, drama.**

 **Please Enjoy!**

* * *

 **Day of the Wedding!**

 **GagePOV**

"That asshole did what?" Tate demanded.

The anger was tempered by the fact that he was sitting in a chair with a towel draped over his shoulders while Alice cut his hair.

It was wedding day even though the ceremony was going to happen later in the afternoon because Jules had wanted to have a bonfire for the party.

Shoving my hands in my pockets, I stretched up onto my toes. "It's nothing, man. I'm fine. But he guessed. Now the only person who doesn't know is Nechole. And that's not going to go over well if she hears it from someone else."

"So tell her tonight. At the wedding. Erik won't be able to get to her all day and none of wolves would even dream of telling her before you. And he won't be at the wedding. It's perfect timing."

Over his head, I met Alice's glance. She shrugged and nodded a little. "He's not wrong. Weddings are romantic. And Nechole would keep her temper because she wouldn't want to ruin anything for Jules."

Tate grinned smugly before getting serious again. "Seriously, dude, just go for it. Be really apologetic. She'll still get mad, but it's you. Nobody can stay mad at you."

"Erik can," I pointed out.

Tate's stare went flat. "Erik's a douchewad."

"Tate!" Bella yelled from the kitchen. "If your mother heard you…"

He rolled his eyes but said, "Sorry, Mrs. Cullen."

Bella came out of the downstairs study grinning. "Don't be. You're right. Erik's a total douchebag." Then she looked at me. "I don't want to put my nose where it doesn't belong but-,"

I shook my head. "Please. I will accept any and all advice."

Coming over, she took my hand and gave me very direct, stern, yet caring eye contact. "Tell her. The sooner the better. Sure, she might be mad at first. But right now, she's just barely holding on what with happened to Katie and now she's about to phase. Then the phasing in and of itself is worrisome for females hoping to find that male that will take care of them. Nechole is a dominant female but she is a female. Trust me, we like it when a man wants to take care of us. Right now, she's bouncing around trying to take care of her sisters all why fighting the change. This isn't just about you."

Taking in all that she'd said, I breathed deep and nodded. "You're right. It isn't about me. My imprint is about her."

"There ya go," Jules said coming in from the dining room. She'd brought all the centerpieces up from her house with Bray. She was grinning at me. "The imprint is all about the other person, male or female. I mean, I understand why you want to save her the anger. Usually when a woman is angry, it's because she's also hurt, so I get it. But Grama is right. Women love to be taken care of by their males. And we _love_ honesty. Even though she won't be happy, she'll still forgive you because you'll be her imprint once she phases and she won't want to hurt you."

Nodding, I smiled. "Yeah, you guys are right. Now I just need to grow some bravery before tonight."

Coming over to me, Jules squeezed my hand. "You got this. And if you need any support, you can just ask any of the guys who have imprinted. They'll understand. And because I now know what's going to happen, I'll be prepared for any waterworks."

"And I'll be there," Tate said. "Not that I can really do anything. I haven't imprinted on anyone." At the looks the females gave him, he shook his head. "Don't feel bad about it. Unlike most guys in the pack, I'm not looking for love right now. I'd like to enjoy being a teenager and free agent."

Alice, Bella, and Jules are shared a look and head shake.

"I so can't wait to meet the girl who changes his mind," Jules said with an evil little grin.

Bella nodded. "She's going to be a piece of work, that's for sure."

Tate just rolled his eyes.

 **JulesPOV**

My wedding day and I was still giving love advice. But oh well. Wedding. Day! My excitement knew no bounds. Bray and I had barely slept at all because we'd both been buzzing and horny as all get-out. And after our bodies had finally been sated, I'd lain in bed and thought of all the things that I had to get done today.

Giving advice on imprinting seemed so normal on a day like this, but I welcomed it.

I was grinning at Tate being a typical guy in rolling his eyes when the front door opened and closed quietly.

We all froze as Victoria came into the room from the foyer. She froze, too, and stared back at us.

Her brown-blonde hair was pulled back into a ponytail, leaving her face open and pretty. She had on a loose shirt and a pair of yoga pants. Her eyes widened when she saw me.

Her delicate hands covered her mouth as she gasped. "Oh my god, I'm so sorry. I completely forgot what today was. I was just coming to see Carlisle for a quick checkup."

I frowned. "Everything okay?"

It took her a minute before she could answer because she was still flustered. "Yeah, it's my weekly visit."

And then what else she said sank in. "Wait a minute. What do you mean you forgot what today was? Are you not coming to the wedding?"

Swallowing hard, her eyes darted around. "Oh, well, um," she frowned, looking uncertain. "I wasn't really aware that I was invited." At that, all of us bristled but she didn't seem to notice. "I was just going to sit at home, eat ice-cream, and watch movies."

Putting my hands on my hips, I glared at her. "You most certainly will not. I fully expect you to be there. And I intend to have a word with our brothers."

Reaching out, she moved into the room. "Oh, Jules, that's not-,"

I turned to Aunt Alice.

She nodded. "On it. Rosalie?" she called. "Would you mind to finish up the haircuts? I have a dress to pull together by this afternoon."

Aunt Rose showed up on the second floor balcony and nodded.

Aunt Alice took Victoria's hand. "We won't make it too complicated. Easy on and off, so it shouldn't take too long to pull something together."

As Victoria was guided to the stairs, she looked over her shoulder at me. "Are you sure?"

I smiled easily, showing her that my anger wasn't real. "Very much so. I'd love to have you there. Besides, you've been cooped up in that house and at work too long. You need to have fun."

She didn't seem to know what to say to that so she just nodded and let Aunt Alice pull her up the stairs.

Once she was safely in an upstairs room, everyone looked at me.

"Are you really going to give Ash and Cole a hard time?" Gage asked with a smirk.

"Absolutely."

With that, I turned on my heel and left.

Outside, the men Jason had assigned to her protection detail, Nik and Mark, were standing beside a black SUV. Neither were talking but both were dripping in weapons. They stood at attention when I came onto the porch.

I smiled at them. "Hey, boys. Just to let you know, Victoria will be in there for more than a checkup. My aunt is making her a dress so she can attend my wedding tonight. If you want, you can go inside and chill. I'm sure my family can find something for you to do and still stay close."

They both blinked but it was Mark who caught my attention. His gaze went to the house as if he was trying to see Victoria through the walls.

I could barely contain my grin as I went for my Jeep.

The trip to the compound was uneventful and it wasn't long before I was pulling into my brother's driveway behind Cole's car.

They should have already been up and helping with wedding prep but apparently they'd decided to stay in.

Getting out of the car, I went to knock on the side door but nobody answered. I knew better than to think anything bad had happened to them. The compound was a fortress. So, pushing aside a worm of unease, I bent down to get the extra key from under the flower pot and let myself inside.

The sounds that drifted from the back let me know why they were late.

Rolling my eyes, I banged my fist on the counter. "Rise and shine, boys!"

Frozen silence. Rustling sheets.

"Shit," one of them hissed.

Standing in the kitchen, I grinned, crossed my arms, and waited.

Five minutes later, Cole was skidding around the hall entrance and trying to button his pants at the same time. His bare chest was shiny with a sheen of sweat, hair sticking up in all directions.

He grinned at me with a flush on his cheeks. "Hey, Jules. It's my fault we're running behind."

Ash came around the doorway slower than Cole had. His hair was just as messy, skin just as flushed. There was a small, private smile on his lips. At the sight of both of them, my heart warmed. I could tell there was something changing with them, and it made me stupidly happy for them.

"Hey, baby brother."

He grinned, utterly unashamed. "What's up, Jules?"

Leaning my hip against the counter, I gave them a look. "Either of you wanna tell me why Victoria thought she wasn't invited to the wedding?"

In identical looks of confusion that morphed into horror, they shared a look.

"Shit," Cole whispered. "I didn't even think…I just assumed. Where is she?"

Smiling gently, I said, "She's up at the Cullen house. Aunt Alice is making her a dress as we speak."

"Damn," Ash said.

"It's okay," I assured him. "She thought she'd just stay home tonight anyway." Going to walk around the kitchen, I stopped at the fridge to see the photo from one of the ultrasounds. "So how is everything going? Have you guys made a decision?"

I looked over in time to see them exchange another look.

They were doing that soulmate mind-read thing.

And then Cole shrugged.

"It's your day," Ash said. "It's about the wedding."

"Uh-uh," I said going over to them. "You can tell me if you want. I'd love to know."

Sighing, he came to reach around me for the photo. "She's decided to give him up," he said softly. "He's going to be ours."

A grin spread across my face. "That's great!" Then I noticed his expression. "Why don't you guys look more enthusiastic?"

"He's worried," Cole said. "There's still a few months left of the pregnancy. She could change her mind. We're trying not to get too excited."

I nodded. "I understand. I won't say anything. But I really hope this goes through for you. I know how badly you want kids. And besides, Victoria has an admirer."

Cole's head snapped my way. "What? Who? When did this happen?"

I grinned at knowing something he didn't and the suspicious tone of an older brother. "Not telling."

"Woman," Cole growled in his human way.

Sauntering to the door, I flashed him a smile over my shoulder. "Come up to the house when you guys get dressed. Aunt Rose is doing haircuts. Bray is at the cottage helping the boys set up. You can just meet up with someone and help out."

"We'll meet up with Bray and the others," Ash said.

"Haircuts first. I don't need shaggy messes at my ceremony."

With that, I left the cabin. Ash and Cole would do as I asked because they knew how important today was to me and how easy it would be to forget to get a haircut when you were busy doing the heavy lifting as well as other things.

The compound was eerily quiet. Walker, Christa, and Ryell were having most of the pack helping with the set up. The men were with Dad, Will, and Bray while the women were with Mom, Aunt Shelby, and Piper. Every now and then I'd see a face peek out a window or someone would open up a door to wave. I waved and smiled back. After exiting the always-guarded inner gate to the compound, the tunnel of trees leading out of the compound created moving shadows from the rare sunlight filtering down through them. It was a pretty drive so I rolled down my windows to enjoy the cool, bright air.

There was another motive to rolling down the windows though. The closer we got to game time, the more nervous I got. And when I got nervous, I always became super hot. But there wasn't a reason to be nervous. Bray was going to be waiting for me. I was not going to trip and fall on my face. What were the odds that I was surefooted every other day of my life but chose today to be a klutz? That's right. Not likely. Besides, I wasn't wearing heels. I'd kicked that idea in the pants at the beginning. There was no way I was wearing heels on a riverbank. Absolutely not. Aunt Alice hadn't been too thrilled at first, but had decided it was a challenge to find a decent slipper. Apparently, she'd found some because I hadn't heard her complain since.

The good mood waned a little when I got to the end of the path that spilled to the road. It was a large turnaround area and there was a truck parked to the side, one I'd never seen before. It didn't belong to either pack or the Cullen household. And it wasn't trying to get into the compound. It was just parked.

As I eased by it, I saw that there wasn't anybody in it.

Frowning, I slowed the vehicle and looked around. My senses were firing, so I knew someone was nearby.

It was as I was scanning in front of me and panning to the left that I saw the shadow detach itself from the forest.

I may not have recognized the truck but sure as shit I recognized Cole and Victoria's dad.

A growl rumbled in my chest as I parked the Jeep and got out. "What the hell are you doing here?"

The man had no sense of personal space as he stepped into mine. "I want my kids," he snarled.

Putting my hands on his chest, I shoved him back. "They aren't yours! Cole and Victoria are _happy_ here with us, without you. Stay. Away. From. Them!"

He stared at me with wide, angry eyes like he couldn't believe I'd dare touch him let alone shove him away. "I want-,"

I shoved my finger in his face. "I don't give a flying fuck what you want. Get in your truck and stay off our property."

As a wave of violence vibrated along my arms, I turned away. Today was not the day for assault. I needed to get to my planning and wedding without new bruises. Bray would end up homicidal.

My phone went off just as I was putting the Jeep in drive.

"Yes?" I growled.

"Get back to the house," Gage answered. "We've got a problem."

"What is it now?"

He wasn't fazed. "Cole's mom is out here demanding to see him and Victoria."

I shot a glare to the guy hurrying around the hood of my car. My foot itched toward the gas pedal. It was a temptation but I beat it back. "Goddammit," I hissed. "They split up to cover more ground."

"What?"

"Her husband is at the compound. Tell Mark and Nik to prepare themselves. I have a feeling I'm about to be followed."

He cursed. "Why not keep driving?"

"Because he knows where his wife is. Whether or not I get to the Cullen house, he'll show up. I might as well be there, too."

"Good point. I'll tell them." Suddenly, his voice lowered to a whisper and I heard him moving around. "Victoria's still here. Cole and Ash got here just before mommy dearest showed up."

With that news, I stepped on the gas praying gravel everywhere. "I'm on my way. Keep them all separated."

"Will do."

Throwing my phone into the passenger seat, I slammed on the gas and shot toward the house. The man was far behind but still had me in sight. Everyone knew where the Cullen house was so he'd find it whether or not he could keep up.

In record time, I was flying down the long drive.

As soon as I cleared the trees, I saw Mom, Aunt Shelby, and Grama Bella all blocking the woman from the house. They were corralling her.

Pulling to the side, I parked and got out to go join them and wait for the dad.

"Victoria! Cole!"

"Ma'am, stop yelling," Mom ordered. "You really need to stop. The kids don't want to see you. This is getting ridiculous, to be honest."

"They're my kids," the woman said angrily.

"No, they were your punching bags, you bitch," Aunt Shelby spat. "You and your husband need to back the fuck off before you piss off too many wolves and vampires. Your kids are grown and gone. Get over it."

Mom stepped up and forced the woman back. "You're just pissed that you no longer have anyone to torment. My husband made it very clear to yours what would happen if the two of you kept this up. This is your last warning. Any more problems out of you, and we will kick you off the rez."

A loud crack sounded and it took us all a moment to realize that Mrs. Harris had hit Mom.

Aunt Shelby, Grama, and I all growled as Mom's head came up and she shook her hair back.

I started forward, but Mom held her hand up.

Her face was thin with anger, eyes glittering. A low growl vibrated out of her throat.

Aunt Shelby and Grama backed up as Mom stalked forward.

"How dare you put your hand to me? You have no idea what we have been through to keep you safe, you and all the citizens of the rez and Forks. And now that I've vowed to care for your children as you never have, you want to trade blows? With _me_?"

With a blur of speed, Mom's hand snapped out. Open-handed, she slapped the woman so hard that she spun in the wet grass. Blood flew in an arc from the woman's mouth. Before she could gain her footing, Mom swept the other woman's feet out from under her. Mrs. Harris ended up face down on the ground as Mom straddled her back and gripped her hair to pull her head back. The woman's neck stretched painfully.

Mom leaned down. "Don't you ever think you can come onto pack property, assault us, and get away with it. Next time, I'll pound you into your own grave."

With an angry shove, the tossed the woman's head away and stood up. As she and I joined my aunt and grandmother, the truck burst through the trees and brakes squealed.

Mr. Harris jumped out and ran over. "Elaine!"

He bent down to help his wife up. They spoke in low voices but we could still hear that he asked her if she was okay and what had happened.

"My wife is bleeding," he said angrily.

"She shouldn't have hit me," Mom said. "I was defending myself."

He scoffed. "Like she could actually hurt you, you beast."

Gripping Mom's arm, I turned us toward the house. "We might be beasts, but you and your wife are the monsters. Get off our property before I call the pack to remove you." I looked at Mom. "You okay?"

She smiled. "I'm okay, sweetie. Thanks for coming to my rescue."

I grinned. "Always, Momma bear."

We were almost up the steps of the porch when I heard him lumbering after us. "You won't just walk away from us. We have rights to-,"

Behind us, a woman screamed.

I didn't see the movement as I turned, but Daniel Harris was flat on his back in the mud with Mark standing over him. Mark's claws were out, his big body made bigger by the partial shift.

"Mark!" I yelled, leaving Mom's side. "Don't bleed him! We don't need the likes of him a member of the pack."

As I approached, I made sure to do so slowly and not to touch him. The partial shift only happened with strong emotion, and his emotion was pissed off. I didn't need to get attacked, too.

Mark's eyes were amber as they stared down at the human, his lips twisted in a snarl. "You have no rights to Victoria."

Daniel Harris must have felt and understood the danger he was in because he didn't move except to widen his eyes. Blood was masking the left side of his face from a cut just under his eye.

From inside, there was the sound of running.

A feminine gasp.

"Mark," Victoria said. "Don't hurt him. Please."

At the sound of her voice, Mark's body eased just a bit as he looked over his shoulder. "He doesn't deserve to even say your name." His voice was nothing but a bass growl. Low and warm.

Victoria's breath hitched as if she didn't know how to take this emotional protection from him. "Mark," she breathed. "Please. You're right, but don't hurt him."

Now the whole house had joined the party, everyone watching the angry werewolf.

Cole was standing with his sister, eyes on his father. Usually warm and kind, they were now utterly devoid of any happy emotion. They were hot with anger and possibly hatred. He stepped forward. "Why are you here?"

Daniel stared up at his son and there was no regret or apology in his eyes. "You and your sister need to come home."

With a cold stare, Cole walked down the steps to stand beside Mark. "We are home. It's you who doesn't belong here. My and Toria's lives are here now, with the packs and the Cullens."

We all watched as Daniel got to his feet.

He pointed at Mark and the rest of us. "They've threatened your mother and me."

Cole lifted a condescending eyebrow. "And?"

Daniel spluttered. "We-we're your parents!" he said, outraged.

That little smirk was actually terrifying. "No. You're not. Not mine. I don't know how Victoria feels about you, but I know that the moment Dox took me away from that house, you stopped being my parents. Jacob and Renesmee Black are my parents now. When I need help, _they_ are who I go to." He leaned in. "You are nothing to me."

And then out of nowhere, Cole's uppercut hit Daniel in the jaw, snapping his head back. His knees buckled his ass right back into the mud.

In a move almost mirroring my mother, Cole crouched down and waited for his sperm donor to raise himself to his elbows.

"For the record, stay away from my family or it won't be the pack you need to watch out for. I'm over what you did to me, but for how you treated Toria, Ash, and Jules, I'll have no qualms burying you. And from the looks of things, I'd have some help."

Elaine moved forward as Cole stood up again. "Daniel, let's just go. Please, let's go."

Daniel allowed his wife to help him up.

We were all silent, vibrating energy as we watched them get into the truck and disappear.

I moved toward Cole just as Ash jumped the stairs. "Are you okay? How's your hand?" I'd noticed that he'd brought it to his chest once Daniel and Elaine were far enough away.

As Ash joined us, he held his hand out. The knuckles were bruised and swollen.

"Sorry, Jules."

I smirked. "Don't be. That was an awesome hit as well as totally deserved. We'll get it cleaned up. Maybe Piper can help out."

Ash took Cole's hand out of mine in a possessive way. "I'll clean it up and bandage it." Then he looked up into his boyfriend's eyes. "I'm so proud of you."

Cole's eyes got shiny as he cleared his throat. "It wasn't the showdown I'd expected or wanted, but," he nodded, "I'm glad it's over with." He looked up at my mom. "Did that bitch hurt you?"

She smiled maternally down at him. "I'm fine, sweetheart. Promise. A little blood and I'll be in tip-top shape." Elaine had actually gotten some strength into the hit. With Mom's surprise working against her, Elaine had actually bled her.

Cole's shoulders relaxed. "Good. I'd be pissed as hell if she hurt you."

Ash lead Cole up into the house to disappear down the hall after getting a hug from Mom. Mark was still standing nearby in his partially shifted body. His eyes were closed, shoulders moving with deep even breaths. He had to calm down before he could shift back.

Before anyone realized, Victoria had pushed her way down the steps toward him. Her hand wrapped around his much bigger, clawed one.

His big body jolted as if she'd shocked him. Blinking, he looked down at her.

"Thank you," she said softly. "For standing up for me. Come inside. Please."

He lifted her their hands. "I should shift and run. I can't seem to calm down."

Smiling softly, she put her free hand to his shifted face. "I'd feel safer if you were with me. Please?"

Like magic, the wolf began to fold away, revealing his humanity once more. His eyes went from amber to hazel. The long thin hands turned back to blunt fingers with normal nails holding her hand.

"Then," he said, "I suppose I'll come inside."

Victoria grinned. "Thank you." Then she turned and tugged him up the porch steps.

Gage and Tate came to stand beside me as I stayed outside, staring where the truck had disappeared.

"You okay?" Tate asked.

I nodded. "I just can't understand why they keep coming back when they know they're outmatched and that Cole and Toria don't want to be with them anymore."

Gage shrugged and ran a hand through his hair. "Maybe your mom is right. They don't have anyone to torture now."

"Or maybe," Tate said, "in some sick way, they do love their kids."

I shook my head. "Cole and Victoria want nothing to do with them. They're adults and they're parents should respect that. Why the hell are they so desperate?"

"Possession," Grampa Edward from the porch. He came down to join us with his hands in his pockets.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

He took a deep breath and nodded toward where the angry couple had been. "They see their kids as possessions that were stolen from them." He tapped his temple. "They have a strange way of viewing parenthood. According to them, they should be in control of their children's lives."

"That's stupid," Tate said angrily.

Grampa nodded. "I agree. If Cole and Victoria had stayed any longer with them, the two would likely be dead or close to by now. Mr. Harris's hatred of his son's sexuality is frightening. And his only daughter pregnant out of wedlock…" he shook his head. "He feels like he's lost control and it's pushing him to act out."

Gage crossed his arms. "If he keeps acting out against the pack, he's going to end up dead. He has to know he can't win a fight with one of us. Hell, he's lucky Mark didn't kill him right here. If it wasn't for Victoria, he might have. And we're all ready to take a swing at him for what he did to Cole and Toria, to Ash and Jules."

Frowning, I said, "We don't kill people, Gage."

His stare was scarily blank as he looked at me. "The Quileute's don't. But some of the Children don't have that line, Jules. And I'm inclined to agree with them."

Vaguely, I was aware that my mouth had fallen open. "But he's just one human."

"And what happens when one becomes five? Twenty? A hundred? More? They'd outnumber us and we'd lose. I'm not saying kill innocents just to flex muscle, but those two have tried to hurt us. If they actually succeed without punishment, then that's on us."

What he was saying sounded eerily like what Dox had told me, Will, and Ash that Walker had said to him. Humans becoming knowledgeable about us, acting against us. And they weren't wrong. The more the packs grew, the closer we got to being pushed out of hiding. Especially with all the fighting. Vampires were the only ones with firm laws, but Aro and the Volturi weren't going to come against us. Our power now rivaled theirs in wolf and witch allies to back us. Besides, Caden had killed Caius. There was no surety that that same fate wouldn't be waiting for Aro and Marcus. Aro was too self-absorbed to risk that.

So, I backed my pack member and nodded. "Okay. We'll keep an eye on them. With their level of anger, we may not have the choice of throwing them off the rez. Something more permanent may have to be done." My chest burned just saying that.

But I looked up at my grandfather to see him nod in agreement. "I'll talk to Jacob about what happened." Then he smiled at me. "But, for today, we have a very important wedding to set up."

When he held his arm out, I grinned and tucked myself under it and against his side. He kissed the top of my head.

 **AshPOV**

Every time I looked at Cole's hand, I saw him punching Daniel Harris.

"You're going to start going by Black now. I don't want you associated with them," I said as I knelt between his legs and wrapped his knuckles.

We were in the downstairs bathroom and Cole was sitting on the closed lid of the toilet, letting me take care of him.

I heard the smile in his voice. "Sounds good to me. Thank you."

I looked up at him. "You're welcome." But for what I said next, I couldn't look him in the eye. "Seeing you like that, I really wanted to drag you into the house so you could fuck me."

His body jumped like I'd put a live wire against it and his breath punched out of his lungs. "God…damn," he whispered. Then his good hand was lifting my face back up. There was a fierce light in his eyes. "It will happen, Ash. I will have you. I almost did this morning."

My own breath was just a tad shaky. "I know."

Done wrapping the bandage, I lifted his hand to my mouth for a soft kiss. "I really am proud of you."

"I couldn't be weak in front of the people you respect the most."

I shook my head. "Cole, it would have been okay if-,"

"No," he said forcefully, now gripping my chin. "No. I had to show him and them that you've made me stronger, a better man. It was time I stood up to him." He paused for a moment to run his hand over my cheek and up to my hair, his eyes following his movements. "But I'm worried this isn't the last we'll see of them, especially him. He won't like being stopped. His attempts will escalate."

Reaching up, I took his hand and kissed the palm. "Then we'll stop him every time."

Cole gave me patient eyes. "Ash, I can't live my life always wondering what he's going to do next. Someone needs to stop him. Permanently."

I knew he wasn't meaning that the only choice was murder, but I knew it was one of the choices. If the man did escalate, that's what would eventually happen. And when it did, I wondered what would happen to the social construct around here. The human population saw us as protectors, not murderers even if it was in self-defense.

I gripped his hands. "We'll deal with it when it comes."

He smiled.

"Now, let's go help out. I'm sure we've got tons of shit to do."

 **DoxPOV**

Dad was frowning hardcore as he ended the call.

"Everything okay?"

Slowly, he shook his head. "Apparently we missed a cat fight between your mom and Elaine Harris."

My turn to frown. "Harris? Why does that sound familiar?"

"Cole's mom."

The frown disappeared and I felt my face thin down in anger. "What the hell? They're _still_ pulling this crap? And wailing on Mom now? Is she okay?"

He gave me a look. "Would I still be here?"

I nodded. "True."

"Nah, she's fine." He grinned. "Your mother can throw down. Don't let her fool you."

Chuckling, I shook my head and unfolded another chair. "But seriously, what the hell? I thought you told them to lay off?"

"I did," he said, coming over to help finish the row. "Looks like we're going to have to put a patrol on them. Either me or Jason."

"I don't know if Jason's guys are the best choice. They're more likely to maul first and ask questions later if they even sneeze in the wrong direction."

Dad nodded again. "True. Apparently, Mark went after Daniel Harris when he tried to say he had a right to see Victoria. Seems like there's something there. And if I understand the enforcer code right, that would mean that all the enforcers would be gunning for him. Victoria may be out of it now, but she's still vulnerable. According to Jules, Mark is rather attached to her. His fellow enforcers will back his play, and I doubt Jason would call them off."

"You're right," Jason said, coming up behind us. "I wouldn't. Not after what that man did to his own kids."

He was standing a few rows away with Bray.

Bray shrugged. "I wouldn't mind seeing him get his ass handed to him. To be honest, the humans we protect need to learn the same lesson the Volturi had to learn: that we're not guard dogs. We will protect them, but the moment they start treating us like animals they can abuse, we will fight back."

I looked at Dad, trying to decipher what he thought about that. I mean, I couldn't say I disagreed with my soon-to-be brother-in-law.

Dad looked at the three of us consideringly before nodding. "I can't say that things aren't changing. Used to, we hid what we were. But the whole rez knows and I know that Forks suspects. We'll just have to figure things out as they come along."

"Hey! The party isn't until later," Piper said, coming up to us. She put her hands on her hips and glared at us with raised brows. Then she snapped twice. "Chop, chop."

All of us just stared at her.

"Don't snap at me, woman," I said as I unfolded another chair.

Playfully she got in my face and started snapping.

I let out a low growl.

She giggled. "Come on, Dox." She snapped again.

When I looked up, her eyes widened. "Better run."

The moment she saw my expression, she started to stumble for the end of the row. She finally got her footing and I ran after her.

"Dox!" she screamed. "No! I'm sorry!"

"Too late," I growled after her. "Not even Jason can save you now!"

Piper had to kick off her heeled sandals because they were getting stuck in the soft earth. But that didn't help her. I was still faster because my legs were longer. The guys behind us were laughing as I got close enough to wrap my hand in her hair. Instead, I grabbed her around the waist and popped her off her feet.

She screamed and kicked and flailed.

Laughing, I headed for the shallow part of the little river.

She went still for a moment before increasing her attempt to get free. "Dox! Don't you dare!" She managed to wiggle her phone out of her pocket, though, as if she knew I was serious.

"This isn't the dress for the wedding. Too bad for you." And I flung her over.

"Dooooooooooox!" she screamed all the way over the bank and into the water.

I knew I was probably a dead man when she finally climbed out, but it was still funny. Today was a tense day and we all needed to chill. That's how Jules and Bray wanted it to be. Not everything had to be in a precise spot and perfect. Jules wasn't that type of bride.

Piper surfaced, sputtering. "You…horrible…awful…troll! When I tell Jules-,"

"She'll punch me," I said around a chuckle. "Yeah, I know. But it was worth it."

Piper glared and gave me a one-fingered salute. "Asshole," she muttered as she started swimming for the rocks that formed a natural ladder out of the river.

Jason moved up beside me with a towel. He was grinning but I knew that would disappear when Piper joined us.

Sure enough, he schooled his face until only his eyes were shiny with laughter.

Piper snatched the towel from him with a glare. "Go ahead and laugh before you hurt yourself."

He grinned but didn't laugh as he helped her dry her hair with another towel. "Shouldn't snap at people, babe. Things like that wouldn't happen."

She frowned up at him. "Really? I thought you were on my side?"

Jason motioned to the towels. "I am on most things. But if Dox hadn't gotten to it first, I would have done the same thing."

Piper couldn't hold onto the anger because she wasn't really angry. Even though she fought it, she grinned and shook her head. "Let me get cleaned up and we can get this finished. I have to go help Jules get ready."

"Hey, Piper!" Dakota yelled. "Where the hell do you want this log? It's fucking heavy."

Rolling her eyes, she pointed. "Across from the other one, dumbass."

Then she went for the cottage.

A heavy hand landed on my shoulder. It was Jason. "Don't worry," he said, sensing my increasing worry. "My guys will be crawling all over the place. Nobody's going to ruin this ceremony."

I nodded. "I hope you're right. Bray and Jules deserve this to go smooth and I don't like that Cole's parents keep showing up more and more. It doesn't bode well."

"No, it doesn't. But like your dad said, we'll deal with it when it comes. We have to." He tugged me by the shoulder. "Let's go help Dakota before he throws another bitchfit."

Smirking, I went with him to finish setting up my sister's wedding.

* * *

 **So I'm debating some pretty heavy stuff for a lot of the characters in this chapter. I just haven't quite seen what is going to happen. I already know how Cole is going to end up and yes, he and Ash will have their moment for the people anxiously awaiting that scene. That's another thing I'm contemplating. I've never written guy on guy sex before so that'll be new for me. Anyway, tell me what you think! I really love reviews. They help me steer things. Love y'all! xoxoxox**


	14. Chapter 14

**Short chapter, but it's the wedding and I couldn't wait to share with you! I cried through writing the whole damn thing so if there are typos, you're going to have to deal with it because I'll cry rereading it making that pointless. Also, I have a link to the style of Jules's dress if anyone wants to see. It's really simple and elegant like she is. I just couldn't adequately describe it.**

 **Next chapter will have Gage and Nechole's little talk. I'm not sure what else or how fast the drama will start to roll because I haven't seen much past their talk. But we might also have a lemon or two. Depends on my mood and who I want the lemon to be with. We shall see. If you have opinions on the matter, let me know!**

 **Please Enjoy!**

* * *

 **The Wedding!**

 **JulesPOV**

I was sitting in a cushioned seat before the vanity and utterly calm. Thirty minutes away from show time. My dress was hanging on the closet door still in its garment bag. If it had been taken out, I'd probably be freaking out. Right now, I sat in my satin robe and lacey underwear and watched as Aunt Rose fluffed up my curls and laid them carefully over my shoulders. She'd curled my bangs around longer pieces of hair so that my forehead was bare save for the ivory headband. The only thing left to do was my make-up and to put on the dress.

"You look beautiful," she whispered in my ear.

I smiled at her reflection in the mirror. "Thank you."

She smiled back and something in my chest loosened. My family supported me, all of them.

"I love the natural look that you've chosen. It really suits you and Brayden."

In the mirror, I stared at myself. My aqua eyes had a bright ring around the pupil because of the professional quality lights that had been put into the vanity. "Honestly, all the pizazz is just a distraction. This is about me and Bray and the love we have for each other, as well as for our families. I don't care about décor or the amount of money spent. Every plan I made, I wanted us to do it together and that's exactly what we've done. Honestly, everything could burn down and I'd still marry him standing in the ashes. As long as the people we love are there."

Her hand was a cool, calming weight on my shoulder. "And we will be. Always."

"Absolutely," Mom said from somewhere.

Aunt Rose moved back so that I could see Grama, Mom, and Aunt Alice in the doorway. Esme had gone to fuss over the dress and make sure everything was where it needed to be.

Mom and Grama came over to stand behind me. One on either side.

They gave each other a look and a smile.

"What?" I asked.

Grama held out a box. "This was given to me by my mom and dad. Ness wore it at her wedding. Now it's your turn."

Taking it from her, I opened it to find an antique hair comb with sapphires worked into the metal. "It's beautiful."

Mom messed with a curl. "I know it doesn't match your color scheme-,"

I shoved it into her hand and face the mirror with a huge grin. "I don't care. Put it in. I love it."

Laughing, Mom and Grama worked my hair until the comb was securing a section behind my ear. Since I wasn't planning on a veil, it was perfect.

There was a knock on the door. "I guess it's a day for gifts," Aunt Shelby said as she walked in. She was already in her dark green dress and matching low heels. Piper had probably talked her into the heels. Her short, black hair was styled in a wave that fell around her pretty, tanned face. The green of the dress brought out the emerald color of her slightly tilted eyes.

Mom waved her in. "You are mother-in-law. You're just as welcome."

Aunt Shelby came in to stand close. I turned the chair so that I could look at all of them.

She held out a slender velvet box. "My dad bought this for me before he died. I'm not a jewelry person so I only wore it a few times for him before he passed. Now it's just gathering dust in a drawer. Seth and I thought that maybe this would be a good tradition for us. From us to you as a new addition to the Clearwater family."

Swallowing hard and beating back tears, I opened the box. In the satin sat a thin tennis bracelet. The jewels were emeralds.

"Like your mom said, it doesn't match, but I'd still love if you took it. Don't have to wear it or anything."

I looked up at my mother-in-law and struggled not to cry. "Are you kidding? I don't care about matching. This means the world to me." Taking it out of the box, I handed the bracelet to her. "Will you please put it on?"

Now she was the one fighting back the urge to cry as she took it from me and clasped it around my wrist. It fit perfectly. Just a little loose to move around but not fall off.

"I love it. And I will pass it on. I promise." Standing up, I hugged her, then Mom, and then Grama.

I stood back to inspect my gifts. Nothing matched but that didn't matter. Every piece was wearing meant something to me. They represented the places I had come from, every corner of my family. I wouldn't have traded them for all the matching gems in the world.

Aunt Alice stepped forward. "What do you say we get your make-up done and put you in that gorgeous dress?"

 **BrayPOV**

I was sitting on the edge of the guest bed with my eyes closed as I took deep breaths. I wasn't exactly nervous. I just didn't wanna mess up.

A heavy hand landed on my shoulder. "You okay, son?"

Opening my eyes, I saw my shiny new shoes, the crisp fold of my pants. If Alice knew I had my sleeves rolled up to my elbows, she'd probably skin me, but it was comfortable to me and right now I needed that comfort. My hands were on my knees, holding my up my torso.

I looked at Dad. "Yeah, I'm good. Just can't really believe we're here, ya know?"

He nodded. "I do know."

He was also in a crisp suit. People who didn't know us would probably think we were brothers.

"Dad?"

"Hm?"

"Why haven't you and Mom gotten married? Or mated?"

Silence for a moment like he was surprised by the question. Then he took a deep breath. "Honestly, after all your mother and I have been through together, I don't need a marriage or mating. And neither does she. You know she hates being the center of attention. She and I are content where we are. But that's not to say that you aren't content with Jules. I'm glad that you grew up to be a somewhat normal kid, Bray. You want marriage and kids, and I want that for you. So does Shelby. And it's your life. What you want to do with it and with whom is nobody's business but yours. If I'd never phased, I'd have wanted all of that, too. An engagement, wedding, the whole nine. As it is, I'm perfectly happy with how my life has gone. I mean, I'd have preferred not to die and go through all that it entailed when I came back, but I'm glad I'm back. I wouldn't trade watching my son get married for anything. I love you, Brayden."

Looking over at him, I could see that darkness in him, the one he fought to keep at bay. His love for his family outshined that darkness every day. He was here because this was where he wanted to be most.

I touched his arm. "I love you, too, Dad. I'm glad you came back and I'm proud of you. Going through today without you…" I just shook my head because my voice stopped working.

His eyes got shiny and he swallowed hard as he pulled me into a hug. "That's all I've ever wanted, Bray. To make you proud. It means the world to hear it."

Squeezing my eyes shut, I hugged him harder. "I will always be proud to be your son. Nothing will ever change that."

We held onto each other for another few minutes before we got uncomfortable.

Dad laughed as he reached out to pat my hair down. "God forbid I rough you up."

I chuckled. "I really don't think Jules will care as long as I show up."

"Good point."

A solid knock sounded on the doorjamb. Dad and I stood up to face Will as we both scrubbed our faces.

He smiled. "Sorry to interrupt, but it's almost time for you to get out there. They're getting Jules into her dress right now."

Clearing my throat, I nodded.

Will walked over and hugged me. "You'll be fine," he said. "No other man deserves my sister."

Clapping his back, I hugged him hard. "I'm glad you'll be up there with me."

Will pulled back to grip my neck and give me a look. "You're my absolute best friend, Bray. I wouldn't be anywhere else." We grinned at each other before he said, "Now, I think Sue needs to see you. She was hovering in the hall."

Frowning, I looked at the door.

Dad was looking, too. "Mom?"

A moment later, her head peaked around the jamb. "Sorry. I didn't want to interrupt the bonding."

The three of us gave manly, anxious chuckles as she walked in.

She was grinning. "Well, look at you! My grandson is as handsome as ever."

I flushed as she put her hand to my cheek. "Thanks, Grams."

Will cleared his throat as gently as he could trying to move us along.

Grams jumped. "Oh right! I got Alice and Jules's approval for a slight wardrobe change." She opened her purse and carefully took out a strip of silk.

Dad gasped behind me before the breath choked off.

Grams smiled sadly. "This was Harry's, your grandfather's. I know you never got to meet him, but I know that Jules will be decked out with family mementos. I thought it would be nice if you had one."

My hand shook a little as I reached out for it. "Grams…are you sure?"

For a moment, she hesitated at letting the tie go. But then gave it up and nodded. "It was his favorite. He only wore it on our anniversary because it was the one he wore at our wedding."

My gaze shot to her. "What?" I shook my head and tried to hand it back. "No. I can't take-,"

She pushed my hand back towards my body forcefully. "Yes, you will." Her voice gentled and her hand was soft on my face. "He would have loved you so much. You're a lot like him."

I nodded and struggled for air. "Dad tells me that all the time."

"Well, it's true. And I would love it if you wore his tie. Strangely enough, it matches her dress."

Out of the corner of my eye, I caught Will checking his watch.

I smiled at my grandmother. "If it means that much to you, I would love to wear it."

Grams made quick work of trading the black bowtie for the deep gold tie. There were small, tasteful designs of a lighter gold. Jules would have called it rose gold. A pinkish color, but not emasculating. I wondered which part of it matched the dress.

Grams took a deep, shaking breath and ran her palm down my chest over the silk. Her eyes were shimmering, but she smiled. "It suits you." Excitedly, she gripped my hands. "Now, let's get you out there!"

Laughing, I managed to snag the jacket as she dragged me out of the room, Will and Dad following like amused shadows.

 **JacobPOV**

"Jacob? Come on. You have to be ready by now. If I am, I know you have to be."

Straightening the bowtie at my throat, I felt like all the air was getting choked out of me.

"Jacob!" Ness hissed.

She appeared behind my reflection in the full-length mirror. The dress she wore was long and flowy, and I knew that the color matched up with Jules even though I had yet to see my daughter in her wedding gown.

Just the thought had the breath shuddering out of me.

Ness calmed her tone as she walked up behind me, looking worried. "Jacob? Honey? What is it?"

Struggling to breathe, I shrugged my shoulders to adjust the jacket.

My wife's expression smoothed out into love and sympathy. She rubbed her small hands up and down my arms. "It's okay," she whispered. "It's not like Bray will be taking her away and we'll never see her again."

I swallowed hard. "She's my baby girl, Ness."

Her expression melted. "You weren't like this with Will."

I scoffed. "I wasn't walking him down the aisle and giving him away."

She nodded. "Good thing, too. That would have been awkward."

Joking. She was trying to joke with me, but I just couldn't get a smile to appear.

Taking pity on me, Ness turned me to face her.

Her hands cupped my face. "Jacob, baby. I promise you that Jules will always be your baby girl. No matter what. You are her father and she will always come back to you. You raised her to be strong and to know what kind of man she needs in her life. She's found that with Bray, a young man you helped raise. Never forget that he grew up with our boys and whatever you say about them, you know that our boys are good men. She is our girl. Always will be. But it's time for us to let her go, just like we did with Will. She's ready."

"Well, I'm not," I said grudgingly.

She chuckled. "Well, we can't always get what we want. She's not the little girl who used to sit on your lap at the computer. She's a woman now. And you know, my mother probably had this very same conversation with my dad before he gave me to you. This isn't for you, Jacob. It's for her. Now, put on your brave face because she's going to need to know that you'll be okay." Putting her hands on my chest, she rose up, tilting her face for a kiss.

Sighing, I met her in the middle. The kiss was soft and the very definition of love.

"Everything is going to be okay," she whispered.

Then she reached around me to the table to grab the old wooden box. Silently, she handed it to me.

Before she left, she gave me one last kiss and order. "Now, go see how beautiful our daughter is."

She was gone before I could beg her for…what? There was no way I'd crash this shindig. I was not going to be that selfish. But God, I needed my wife.

Abruptly, I laughed. Ness was right. Edward probably had to have the same talk with Bella. Wasn't that something for payback?

Looking back to the mirror, I straightened myself up and went for the door.

The cottage wasn't that big. The room I was in had been Ness's nursery and bedroom. Bray was getting ready in the other guest room. Jules was in Edward and Bella's suite that had been commandeered for the wedding. The room Bray was in was empty as I walked past toward the living room.

I was taking deep breaths when I realized I wasn't alone in the room anymore.

Looking up, I knew I quit breathing.

Jules, my baby girl, smiled. "Hi, Daddy."

Emotion so strong ran through me that my brain was too slow to command my eyes not to tear up. Clearing my throat, I pressed the pad of my thumb and forefinger against my eyes.

My daughter was as beautiful as Ness had hinted at. Her dress was pearl white with rose gold beading on the corset top. Her shoulders were bare of fabric but her hair more than made up for it. Red and black waves were neatly curling down over her arms, adding fire and shadow to the dress. Her sun-kissed skin was still twined with the frosted designs. There was a thin emerald bracelet on her right wrist and a sapphire comb I recognized holding back a part of her hair. A pearl and jeweled headband cut across her forehead where her bangs usually sat. But all of that combined made her seem ethereal.

My chest tightened.

"Oh, Daddy," she whispered as she came over to me, the dress whispering over the hardwood floor.

On the way over, she grabbed a tissue and pressed it to my cheeks.

"Please don't," she said softly.

Her aqua eyes were lined in black and they were shiny.

Taking a deep breath, I took the tissue from her before taking her hands and stepping back. "You're so beautiful, baby."

Her lip trembled. She had to take a few deep breaths of her own before saying, "Thank you." Then she hugged me, pressing her cheek to my chest. "I love you so much," she whispered. "You'll always be my number one."

My breathing was just as ragged. "And you will always be my little girl." Pulling back, I used the tissue to clean up her face the best I could without ruining the make-up.

Laughing, she took it from me and finished up herself. "I really hope this stuff is waterproof."

I smiled. "So far, so good."

She grinned up at me. "Good."

Looking into her eyes, I remembered the box that Ness had given me. I reached for where I had put it down. Huh. I didn't remember putting it down.

"I have something for you."

A choked giggle escaped her. "Everyone's been giving me stuff today."

I chuckled. "Just a little more jewelry for you."

"What?"

I handed her the box.

Taking it cautiously, she narrowed her eyes. "What did you do?"

Grinning, I shook my head. "Nothing this time." Reaching out, I lifted the lid.

Jules looked down and gasped. "What is this?" she whispered.

I had to clear my throat. "They were my mother's, Jules. Billy gave them to her after I was born. She only wore them for him, when he would take her out. Even after they were married and had three kids, they dated. And I want you to keep them. You don't have to wear them, but they're yours."

Swallowing over and over again, she ran a hand over the diamond and aquamarine teardrop earrings. "But what about-,"

I shook my head. "Rachel and Rebecca don't want them. Too painful. Ava and Linley already went through Mom's things and took what they wanted. Pictures mostly. Jules, these are yours, and I want you to keep them," I repeated. It was important to me. "Always, baby. I want you to pull them out when you question your marriage, because it will happen. I want you to take these out and remember where you come from. If you need to remember that kind of love, think of your grandparents. Marriage and three kids didn't stop them from falling in love over and over again. And the same goes for me and your mother. Sometimes, I forget. But then something happens; I'll look at you or your brothers, or she'll do something to remind me." I cupped her face so she'd look up at me. "I'll be reminded that we're not promised forever together no matter how long we may live. Don't ever stop falling in love with him, baby. Always remember what you've been through together; don't let anything tear you apart."

Lips trembling again, eyes shining, she hugged the box to her chest and nodded. "I promise," she whispered.

With shaking hands, she pulled the earrings out and put them into her ears. They shined and sparkled from the depths of her hair.

"How do they look?" she asked.

"Like they were made for you."

While she grinned up at me, there was a knock on the front door. The one to let us know they were ready for us.

Jules let out a shaky breath.

"Don't be nervous," I said while I turned and offered my arm.

She grabbed the bouquet which consisted of a single cream rose wrapped in deep gold ribbon. "I don't know why I am. I know he'll be there."

Leaning over, I said, "It's because you want to see his reaction. The reaction of a groom seeing his bride coming for him tells everyone everything they need to know about how he feels." When she looked up at me, I finished with, "And for the record, his reaction is probably going to be worse than mine. In a good way."

We stared at each other for a long moment before she straightened her shoulders and smiled. "Let's find out."

 **JulesPOV**

With my dad on my arm, my footing was sure. He wouldn't ever let me fall.

When we got close to the front door, it opened without either of us touching it.

One of Walker's enforcers was standing there with a pleasant smile on his handsome face.

Dad and I nodded at him as we went through the door together. Hey, it was a wide door. And my dress wasn't poofy. It was sleek and smooth, fitted to my body just the way I wanted without a long train. Just a dress.

There was a small path that we walked. A few feet that we spent alone and it was nice.

But then the music started. Not the classic wedding march.

I frowned before I recognized it and more tears threatened to drown me.

Grampa Edward and his song for me. He used to play it when I was little and couldn't sleep. And he'd put it on a CD with other pieces to take home with me. I struggled and fought not to cry as Dad and I approached the bend in the trees that would put me in view of the bridge and Bray.

"Just breathe," Dad said softly. "When he reacts, that's your cue."

As intended, I laughed. "Thanks, Dad."

We cleared the trees and everyone stood up. There were pleasant gasps and a few whimpers, probably from Mom, as Dad and I walked further out of the shadows. Though the aisle was technically the river, Dad led me along the bank toward the bridge. Everything, from what I could tell of my peripheral vision, was beautiful. Twinkling lights, the sound of the dainty music mixing, dancing in the air with the sound of the river. The flickers of the gas lamps were reflected in the cool water.

But my true focus was on Bray. We'd already moved a few feet but he had yet to look up. His green eyes were on the moving water, like he was using it to calm himself. And I didn't mind. It gave me time to stare at him before I started the waterworks again. He was beautiful with his hair combed to the side. His tanned skin made the white shirt seem like a spotlight in the late afternoon light filtering through the trees. The suit itself was made exactly for him, just as Alice had intended.

Beside him, Will was grinning like a proud big brother. The priest was standing in the middle of the bridge with Bray to his left, waiting on me to take the space to his right. Piper, in her green dress, was standing just a little apart, grinning like crazy and dabbing her eyes.

I gave Will a smile and a little nod.

His grin widened as he nudged Bray's elbow and nodded toward me.

Bray blinked like he'd been in a daze and looked up.

Our eyes met for about two seconds before his gaze took in all of me.

It was obvious his lungs had stopped working and the lights had started to sparkle on more than just his eyes. He swallowed hard, mouth opening to try to breathe.

Even from here I heard him clear his throat as his face crumbled and he turned around with a headshake to wipe his hand over his face where I couldn't see him.

But that didn't matter. This time, I couldn't control my own tears as profound love swelled inside me. Bray was so overcome with emotion that he didn't want anyone to see him.

"Told you," Dad whispered.

I laughed but kept crying.

Will put a hand on Bray's shoulder and leaned in to say something.

Nodding, Bray turned back around, keeping his hand over his mouth as he cried and watched me come ever closer.

This walk was taking forever, but I loved watching him watch me. It was perfect and I hoped someone was getting it on camera. That way, I'd have my own memories to look back on, to remind myself like Dad had said.

Finally, Dad took my hand and helped me up the steps to stand in front of the priest and give my hand to Bray.

"Who gives this woman to this man?" the priest asked.

"I do," Dad said. Leaning over, he kissed my knuckles and laid my palm in Bray's.

Bray's hand was shaking just a little, but his eye contact and nod to Dad were solid, serious.

As Dad went to sit down between Mom and Dox, I handed Piper the rose so that I could take Bray's other hand.

He held my arms out and ran his gaze over my whole body. I felt it as though it had been his hands to touch me; it made me shiver. "My God, you're stunning," he said loud enough for everyone to hear.

I smiled. "So are you."

He finally met my eyes and grinned. Then he looked to the priest and nodded.

The guy smiled. "Ladies and gentlemen, today we are here to witness the joining of this man and woman in wedded bliss. Is there anyone here who objects to this union?"

We all waited. Dad and my brothers glowered around like they'd bring the vengeance of God down on anyone who did happen to object. Mom smiled and patted Dad's thigh. I giggled.

When nobody objected and the men calmed, the priest continued. "As per request of the bride, the ceremony shall be short so that we may all enjoy the party."

There was chuckling from the crowd. They all knew me well enough to know that that's just how I am.

"So," the priest went on, "without further ado, if we may have the rings?"

As planned, Piper handed me Bray's while Will gave Bray mine. I'd been wearing mine as my engagement ring, but I couldn't wait to see Bray's on his finger finally.

"Brayden, if you would take Julene's hand."

I was way ahead of the game, thrusting my left hand out.

Bray laughed along with everyone else.

"Repeat after me." The priest said his bit, and then it was Bray's turn. We'd decided to go ahead and memorize the vows so we didn't have to break them up.

Bray cleared his throat, his gaze hot and steady and sincere on mine. "I, Brayden Clearwater, take you, Julene Black, to be my wedded wife from this moment and for all our moments hereafter. I promise to love and support you through all your battles, strengths, and faults. I vow to stay by your side through whatever storms may find us, and I will hold you through the darkest of times. I vow to be your loyal husband until the very last beat of my heart. With this ring, I seal my vows."

My hand was shaking so badly as he slid the ring onto my finger that I thought I'd knock the thing out of his hand. But I needn't have worried. He gripped my hand tightly, reassuringly, and nestled the ring onto my finger.

I let out a relieved breath.

"Julene, if you would take Brayden's hand and repeat after me."

Instead of holding his hand out flat, Bray held mine while the priest said his bit. I gripped his hand tightly and smiled. Grinning, he thumbed my ring.

There was a pause in voices and I realized the priest was looking at me expectantly but with an amused smirk.

"Oh, right," I muttered.

Those who could hear laughed.

Time to clear my throat. I was nervous I'd screw up right until the moment I looked into his very green eyes.

"I, Julene Black, take you, Brayden Clearwater, to be my wedded husband from this moment and for all our moments hereafter. I promise to love and support you through all your battles, strengths, and faults. I vow to stay by your side through whatever storms may find us, and I will hold you through the darkest of times. I vow to be your loyal wife until the very last beat of my heart. With this ring, I seal my vows."

And with a solidity I hadn't had a moment before, I slid his ring home, right where it belonged. The sense of rightness nearly overwhelmed me, but I took a couple deep breaths and met his smile with one of my own as the priest started talking again.

"With these vows given by this man and this woman, and by the powers vested in me, I now happily pronounce you husband and wife." He grinned. "Brayden, you may now kiss your bride."

Bray's grin was stunning as he pulled me against his body, wrapping me in his arms. The kiss wasn't anywhere near chaste or even decent as he bent me backwards. We stayed liplocked until the need to breathe became too loud to ignore. When we finally came up, everybody was cheering and whistling and catcalling us.

I was ready to turn toward them, but Bray wasn't. He was staring at me.

Leaning in, he nuzzled my ear. "You're finally mine," he breathed.

I shivered again and looked up at him. His eyes were so damn close. "I've always been yours," I whispered back. "Always."

While everyone began to mingle, we shared another kiss. This time it felt more private, softer, yet more consuming.

It was perfect.

* * *

 **Again, I cried at Jacob and Bray. And the gifts. Nothing matched, but remember, Jules is a very go-with-the-flow type of girl. She just wanted everyone there and to have a good time. Please, please, please review! I live off of them! Oh, and I'm going to attempt to get back into a regular posting schedule, so maybe once a week? What do you guys think? Let me know! And as usual, I love y'all! xoxoxoxox**


	15. Chapter 15

**Hey guys! Yes, yes, I know I promised weekly updates, but the last couple weeks have been super busy for me. But hopefully I can get back on track. I'm also hardcore working on a couple original novel ideas so that's take up some time as well.**

 **Now, you guys are begging for the honeymoon. I am not going to make the next chapter the honeymoon. This is not Jules and Bray's story. HOWEVER, I have decided to write a one-shot of the honeymoon for you guys. I love them, too, so I'll write it for you as a peace offering for my lack of updates. I'm not sure when it will be written or posted but it will come. I promise.**

 **As promised, this chapter is all about Nechole and Gage. I have a feeling I will thoroughly enjoy this couple. Also...you guys keep talking babies! And you want it to be Piper and Jason. All I can say is...we'll see. Idk yet.**

 **Please Enjoy!**

* * *

 **BrayPOV**

Everything was utterly perfect.

While we had the toasts, ate, and then Jules and I cut the cake, the dance floor was being built out in the yard.

Will's toast had made Jules cry and Piper's right after had me a little misty-eyed but I'd made it through.

Honestly, I couldn't believe that I was now a married man. At least, not until I looked over at Jules sitting beside me. She was grinning, laughing, and crying as we sat at the table and greeted everybody that came by to congratulate us. But despite all the getting up and hugging, she never let go of my hand. It was so hard to believe that we could be tied closer than we'd already been, but the marriage was the final nail. She wasn't mine just by knowledge, but now by the ring she wore on her finger. It's not often you stop to think about the monumental meaning one little circular piece of metal carried until it was on the finger of the person you loved most in the world.

"Bray? You okay?"

Blinking, I saw Jules watching me.

Grinning, I said, "Better than okay. Why?"

She snorted. "Because you're staring at me again."

"Well," I said, motioning to her. "Can you blame me? My _wife_ is gorgeous on a normal day. Right now?" I shook my head. "You're stunning."

Her cheeks flushed pink as she looked away with a smile and reached for her glass. "You said that earlier."

I nodded. "It's the only word I have. You leave me speechless, Jules."

Swallowing hard, she looked at me. Her hand came up to rub down the tie. "I feel the same about you," she whispered. "I'm glad you wore this. It means a lot to Sue."

"I don't know if I can keep it," I said looking down at it.

"Why not?"

"Exactly because of how much it means to her. I'm glad I wore it, too, but I never knew him. It's not fair for me to keep those memories from her."

Her fingers traced the designs on it. "Well, if she makes you keep it anyway, I'll get it taken care of so it doesn't get messed up."

God, I was glad she was mine. I leaned in to kiss her. "I love you."

She grinned. "I know." She kissed me back. "And I love you, too."

While we were having our moment, I felt more than saw someone come up to the table.

We broke apart to find Ryell and Dox grinning at us. Ryell was in a deep red wrap dress to match Christa and Walker. Alice had been all about matching. Dox was wearing a suit with a cream vest but a red tie to match both sides of his family.

"The dance floor's ready whenever you are," Dox said.

"I totally call first dibs on a dance with Bray," Rye said. She looked at Jules. "After you and Shelby, of course."

My new wife grinned. "He's all yours."

"Hey," I said, mock wounded.

She gave me a look. "I'm going to get passed around, too. At least she called dibs."

Bobbing my head, I said, "Guess you're right."

Jules patted my cheek. "Looks like you're getting the hang of this marriage thing pretty quick."

When Dox and Rye laughed, Jules winked at them.

I just shook my head and rolled my eyes before standing up and offering her my hand. "Shall we appease the camera click-happies?"

Her hand was a warm weight in mine as she stood up and came out from behind the table with me. It was then that I actually noticed what was around her wrist. My mother's bracelet given to her by my grandfather before he'd died. She'd worn it around him to keep from hurting his feelings because he'd forgotten that she didn't typically wear jewelry.

As we walked, I rubbed my thumb over the emeralds.

Jules looked up at me.

"She give this to you?" I asked.

She nodded. "She asked if I would pass it on as a Clearwater heirloom. I mean, hopefully we have a little girl someday." She shrugged. "But if we end up with a pack of boys, I'll give it to my favorite daughter-in-law."

Laughing, I wrapped my arm around her bare shoulders and pulled her against me. I kissed her hair. "Talking about kids already, huh?"

We'd made it around the table to meet up with Dox and Rye. Now that we were on the move, everyone was getting up to gather around the large wooden dance floor and the music equipment. But Jules and I took our time to enjoy watching everyone laugh and talk. The packs were mingling nicely without any spats. The few humans that were here didn't seem too worried about getting munched on even with the vampires that had showed up. The Denalis were here as well as the Amazons. Even though we didn't know them that well, Jules had still wanted them to come because Nessie had thought of them like family. The Denalis were family in the vegetarian lifestyle with the Cullens. But Jules's mom had had a close kinship to the Amazons. So one could argue that our wedding was also a bit political in trying to mix the two types of wolves with the vampires of differing areas.

Jules laced her fingers with mine as Rye and Dox fell into step beside us. "You know that we could conceive at literally any time. Why not start planning? I mean, I know that things will change as we get older, but it's something to think about."

"She has a point," Rye said. "Your parents are gonna be wanting grandkids."

Dox shook his head. "I don't know about mine. They already have Cordy. Dad feels old."

"He is old," Jules pointed out.

Dox laughed. "Lord, don't tell him that. He still looks like he's twenty-three."

"I refuse to be an enabler," Jules said. "Just because he doesn't see grey hair in the mirror every morning doesn't mean he's not old enough to have grandchildren. He should get over that."

"Who should get over what?" Jacob said as we all laughed our way toward the side of the dance floor.

He was standing there in his fitted tux with Ness tucked into his side. She was resting her head on his chest, a small smile gracing her lips as they stared at us.

Jules and Dox shared a grin.

"Nothing," Jules said, her grin betraying her words.

I shook my head. "It's not really that important. It can wait."

He narrowed his eyes. Then he nodded at me. "I'll trust you before those two."

"Hey!" Dox and Jules said at the same time.

Ness tried to hide the grin. "Jacob," she chided.

He just gave her a look and a shrug. "It's the truth."

Shaking her head, Ness reached out for us. "Everyone's ready." She took Jules's hands. "You're sure that you and Bray didn't have a song picked out or have a specific one in mind?"

Jules shook her head, the loose curls sliding across her shoulders. "Nope. I trust you, Mom. But do we at least get a hint?"

Ness exchanged a look with Jacob, who shrugged. My mother-in-law bit her lip and smiled. "Let's just say that your grandfather has been busy."

I frowned. "Edward made us something?"

She nodded, her face glowing. "He's been working on it since the engagement. And it is a slow number so don't expect anything too fast. It's absolutely beautiful."

"And now," the DJ announced, "we'll have the bride and groom start us off with their first dance."

Everybody started clapping and cheering.

I took my wife's hand. "Ready?"

She smiled up at me. "Always."

Jacob and Ness moved to the side. Nessie had her hands to her mouth, her shiny eyes blinking a mile a minute as I escorted Jules out to the center of the dancefloor. The music had started before we were really in position and the tinkling of the piano was delicate and just as magical as Edward had no doubt intended for it to be. It matched the fairytale-like atmosphere of the clearing with the lanterns and the twinkling of light off the dark water of the river.

Jules grinned up at me and wrapped her arms around my neck while mine slid around her satin-covered hips.

"You really are beautiful tonight," I said softly.

Her smile softened. "Thank you, Bray. I was hoping the dress wouldn't be too much."

Turning my head, I kissed her wrist. "It's not. It's absolutely perfect." And then I just stared at her.

She gave a look. "What? Do I have icing on my face?" She went to wipe her mouth and I caught her hand.

Chuckling, I put it back on my shoulder. "No, baby. I just can't believe…I mean, this is like a dream. A really good dream."

Reaching up, I ran the backs of my fingers along her cheek, brushing the curls back.

She closed her eyes and leaned into the touch. "You're my dream come true, too, Bray." When she opened her eyes, the aqua was shimmering. "I will never stop falling in love with you."

With a deep contentedness in my soul, I held her tight against me and moved us around the dance floor, silently making the same promise.

 **GagePOV**

Irritation buzzed around me like an eager fly.

The first dance had come and gone, everybody taking their turns to dance with Bray or Jules. I'd had a quick moment with Jules before being whisked away by my mother and Hunter. My sister was so excited about the secret of her pregnancy that she practically vibrated with it. But everyone was chalking it up to her excitement about the wedding. And I was too keyed up about talking to Nechole to really remember that I was supposed to be keeping the secret, too.

I glared over at Tate, who was boring holes in my head. " _What?_ "

He looked across the table and kicked my calf. "Go tell Nechole. Now is the perfect time."

"How do you figure?"

Tate motioned to the dance floor. "Everyone is dancing, idiot. Either ask her to talk somewhere privately or ask her to dance. She won't make a scene out there."

I gave him a look. "And why should I take imprinting advice from you, Mr. Free Agent?"

Now he rolled his eyes. "Fine, don't. Whatever. I, on the other hand, have promised a few lovely ladies a dance." He stood up and looked hungrily at a group of giggling girls hanging around the fire pit. "See ya later, man. Good luck."

That last was said with sincerity. No matter how annoying he could be, Tate never wished bad on anyone. Made it hard to hate the guy.

Slumping in my seat, I looked around.

And of course, my gaze found Nechole. She was gorgeous in a dark blue dress that fit her slim figure to perfection. Her hair was down for once, straight and dark against her tanned skin. And she actually had on some make-up. Her eyes were lined in kohl, lips a deeper pink than usual. I doubted I'd know all that if I didn't have a sister who occasionally wore make-up.

At the moment, she was laughing at something Dane had said while they danced through a crowd of people. The laugh and smile lit up her face from the inside.

I frowned. Nobody saw much of Dane, especially after Paul's death. His eldest sister, Ava, had never phased. It was unlikely that she would. She always said she couldn't be violent even if provoked. Besides, she often said that she had to take care of Rachel since her dad's death. Linley and Dane were up in the air as far as phasing. They were still too young, but it was possible it could happen. Especially with Dane. There was a higher chance of phasing in males.

Shaking those thoughts away, I looked to where I'd last seen her, but she wasn't there. So I searched the crowd.

"Soooo, are you just going to watch me all night or are you ever going to ask me to dance?"

Surprised, I jumped and looked up to see Nechole standing over me. Frowning, I looked back to where she'd just been, then back up at her.

And my mouth decided to act before I could tell it not to. "I wasn't…I…I mean…"

She gave me a bored expression before lunging for my hand and yanking me out of the chair. "Oh, shut up."

Dragging me onto the dance floor, she picked a spot and turned to face me, placing my hand around her waist. I had to swallow hard as she stepped into me, wrapping her arms around my neck.

She was staring at me as we sort of swayed in place. "What's wrong? It's just a dance."

"Uh…um…" My heart was thundering in my chest as my instincts fired up.

Sighing heavily, she started to pull away. "Fine. Whatever. I shouldn't-,"

On a strange burst of bravery, I gripped her waist and pulled her back toward me. "It was just unexpected. I'm fine. Promise."

Narrowing her eyes suspiciously, she wrapped her arms around my neck again.

We stood there swaying again for a few minutes, looking everywhere but at each other.

"It's a beautiful night," she said, her head tilted back to look at the stars. "It's rare and perfect timing."

I looked up, too. "Yeah. Bray and Jules deserved it to be perfect."

She was silent for so long that when I looked down, I found her watching me. "Gage, what's wrong?"

I shrugged. "Nothing."

This time she growled a little. "Bull. Something has been wrong for a while now. I mean, we were never too close, but this…weirdness…isn't our friendship."

Taking a deep breath, I decided that Tate was right. Stopping my movements, I moved my hand down her arm until I was holding her hand. "Can we go somewhere not so public? I need to talk to you."

Pulling back, she frowned down at our hands before taking hers out of mine. "What is this? What's going on?"

A little desperation crept into my voice. "Please, Nechole."

Letting out a breath of exasperation, she looked around and found a spot. "Fine. Come on."

I followed her through the dancing, happy crowd without holding her hand this time. Fancy that. Honestly, I'd give anything to be one of the drinking, partying guests right about now. I'd give anything to go back in time and tell her when I'd found out.

As it was, I knew I was about to get my ass handed to me. But I had to be a man about it. I'd already fucked up my chance for a happy story telling. Now, I was finally going to grow a pair and took whatever she threw at me.

She stopped behind the cottage at the edge of the trees. With her arms crossed over her stomach, she said, "Here we are. Nice and private. So talk."

I had a feeling she had an attitude because she already suspected and was gearing up to get pissed. Not that I blamed her.

So I took a deep breath and trudged on. "I'm pretty sure you already know what this is about but…" Letting out the air in my lungs, I looked up at her. "Nechole, you're my imprint."

Instead of a gasp of shock or look of surprise, she glared at me. "When?" she demanded.

I couldn't look at her when I answered. "You know when."

The sound of her hand connecting with my cheek echoed in the darkness of the trees.

"I want to hear you say it. I want you to be man enough to say it. Then I want to hear about your stupid idea of not telling me."

Flinching, I couldn't not answer her. "The first time I saw you after I phased."

Nechole snorted and shook her head. "I just don't get it. What the hell is it with our generation and being scared to say anything about it? It's nothing to be ashamed of. Unless…it's me you're embarrassed by." An edge of hurt crept into her voice.

My head snapped up. There was pain and uncertainty in her eyes as she rubbed her hands on her arms like she was cold. "What? No, never!" Now that the ice was broke the desperation came back as I stepped toward her. "I could never be embarrassed by you. And I hate that I didn't tell you, but you were already with Erik."

She crossed her arms again. "So? Don't you get it, Gage? I wasted a whole year with him. A whole year that could have been spent with you, getting to know you, because I know you phased right before Erik and I got serious." She shook her head and her expression turned angry. "And don't think that Katie wouldn't be hurt right now if you had just had the balls to say something to me."

I had nothing else to say besides, "I'm so sorry, Nechole."

"Ugh!" She shook her head again and pushed past me, leaving me in the dark alone.

Letting out a growl, I turned towards the woods and glared out into the darkness. It wasn't Nechole I was mad at, but myself. I should have known better than to expect a happily every after. Nechole wasn't like a lot of the females around here. She was tough and blunt and expected a certain type of behavior from the males. Couldn't say I blamed her. In the animal world, males were the stronger sex. They took care of their homes and the females while the females took care of the den. It was the same for humans though things were starting to change there. But in essence, we were still animals and Nechole was very much a wolf whether or not she phased. She'd been raised by both kinds of wolf, so it wasn't a surprise that she expected her male to be tougher than her. I needed to earn my place at her side. She wasn't going to let some mystical connection dictate anything to her. Couldn't say I blamed her.

Not long after, there were sounds of someone coming up behind me.

Dad was there when I looked over my shoulder.

"Everything alright?" he asked in that thick accent.

I shook my head. "No, not really."

He stepped up beside me in his suit, hands in his pockets as he stared out into the trees. "Want to talk about it?"

I sighed. "Might as well. You know how Mom's been hounding me about what's wrong?"

He nodded. "Let me guess."

"Yep. I imprinted and didn't tell her. This whole year she's been dating some other guy and because of that, Katie got hurt. So I guess it's partially my fault what happened."

"And you apologized."

"Of course."

Dad put a hand on my shoulder and turned me to face him. "Then I suppose Nechole isn't the only one you need to apologize to. Is she?"

Dad's eyes were impossibly kind as he smiled down at me.

"Son," he said, squeezing my shoulder, "we can't change things we've done. You couldn't have known what would happen to Katie or that anything bad would happen at all by not telling Nechole. All you can do is try to find ways to make it up to her. Apologizing to her sister is a good place to start."

Sighing, I looked at the party. "I just don't know how I'm going to make things up to her. She and I don't have the same connection that most of the couples did before the imprinting and whatnot."

"You'll figure it out, son. You're smart. And I'm not just saying that because you're my boy. I'm saying it because it's true. You've been resilient all these years. I believe in you. I mean, your mother and I had our issues, plenty of them. Yet here we are." He clapped me on the shoulder again. "Just follow your instincts. They'll always point you in the right direction."

With a last small shake, he left me to meet Mom, who was waiting at the edge of the dance floor.

She gave me wary eyes. "Nechole seems pretty upset."

I nodded. "I know. And she has every right to be."

Looking over, I saw her standing with Ava. Nechole wasn't one to be showy, so she wasn't waving around while telling the story. Her movements were small, tight, and angry. Katie was standing with her mom and Parker, swaying to the music and grinning at Parker's antics.

"So I was right," Mom said. "This is about a girl."

I smirked. "Yes, Mom. You were right. But I doubt I'll be with Nechole anytime soon. I've got to make this up to her first."

Mom nodded and patted my arm. "Good man."

Leaning in, I kissed her cheek. "Save me a dance?"

She grinned. "Always for my best man."

As I turned away, I dropped the grin to put the solemn expression back into place. An apology should never be given as if you expected to be forgiven.

 **NecholePOV**

Tate was twirling me around the dance floor when I saw Gage walk along the side of it toward my mom and sisters.

I narrowed my eyes suspiciously. "What is he doing?"

Tate swirled us around so that he wouldn't have to look over his shoulder. "Looks like he's going to talk to them."

"Thanks, Captain Obvious," I said as scathingly as I could. But I didn't take my eyes from Gage. Even though I was monumentally pissed at him, I couldn't deny that the tux was an exquisite fit on him, especially his backside. Now that I knew for sure that I was his imprint, I looked at him in a way I hadn't before. I was both relieved and confused.

In my arms, Tate snorted. "I know you're enjoying the view, but could you at least pay a little attention to me? My toes are not stepping stones."

Pursing my lips, I glared up at him. "Why is your best friend going to talk to my family right after you conveniently asked me to dance?"

He shrugged, seemingly unaffected by my irritation. "Coincidence?"

"Bull."

He sighed and took my hand, spinning me away from his body before pulling me against him again. "Look, he feels like crap for this whole thing. Believe me, he's been suffering this whole time."

What I wanted to do was yell, but that was pointless. One, I was not going to disrupt the party. And two, Tate was trying to have a civilized conversation. I'd play along. "Then why didn't he tell me?"

He looked down at me with dark brown eyes. "Would you have done the same?"

I frowned. "What?"

"Answer your own question. If the roles had been reversed and he'd been seeing someone he seemed to really like, would you have had the guts to say something, to ruin that happy even if it wouldn't last beyond a few months? Would you have risked his happiness on the off-chance that he would choose you if he hadn't phased?"

Hands on his shoulders, I swayed with him and really thought about the answer. Sure, I was tough and up front, but could I have risked hurting him like that? I thought back to how I'd first been with Erik. It had been new and exciting. I'd been blushing and smiling a lot. Surely the pack had noticed. If the pack had noticed, then so had Gage.

I looked up at Tate's serious face. "I don't know," I answered honestly. "Probably not."

He nodded and his expression hardened. "Then I would suggest toning down the hostility. In all that time, you weren't the one hurting. He was. Sure, in a perfect world, he would have told and you'd probably be dating right now. But this world isn't perfect, and he didn't want to hurt you, so he suffered in silence. He should at least get points for that. And right now, he's probably going to apologize to Katie. Because of his lack of action, Erik was involved and Katie got hurt. I don't really see blaming Gage for that as a solution, but whatever. He's apologizing because you were hurt when Katie was. You're just angry because you don't like that you didn't see how badly he was hurting. It's really got nothing to do with wasted time or Erik now."

As the truth of his words hit me, I couldn't look at him. As soon as he said all that, I knew it was true. I wasn't mad at Erik or the time. I was angry that I hadn't been able to pick up that a member of the pack was hurting. I'd been so absorbed in myself and my teenage woes that I'd let slide potential friendships. Gage had hurt because of me and I hadn't cared enough to notice. It made me feel like I wasn't worthy of that kind of pain, and honestly, I wasn't.

Uncomfortable silence settled between us, but Tate wouldn't let me pull away. He held on to my waist as a couple tears slipped from my eyes.

I tried to pull away. "Let me go."

"No," he said close to my ear. "If you wanna cry, do it on me. This drama should stay personal. And Gage would kill me if I let you cry and didn't comfort you. As his best friend, I have a responsibility to his female."

I pushed back a little, the tears stopping. "I'm not his female."

Tate nodded. "Maybe not to you, not yet. But to me, you are."

Frowning, I tried to push away again. "You think we're just going to magically fix this?"

He held on tight, reminding me that for now, he was stronger. He did another head shake before nodding at the people waltzing past us. "No, I don't. This is going to need a lot more effort than magic, Nechole. You two are going to have to talk. You're close to the change, whether it's phasing or shifting. Soon, you'll learn the pull of the imprint and you two will find a way to work this out."

"You haven't imprinted," I said suddenly as if that would negate his "knowledge" on the topic.

Abruptly, Tate stopped moving and looked down at me in confusion. "So? What does my personal life have to do with you and Gage?"

I shrugged and put my hands on his shoulders. "It doesn't. But I want the subject changed because I don't like you being right. It makes me nervous."

Some of the anger faded away as he smirked. "Okay, fine. No, I haven't imprinted."

"And that doesn't bother you?"

He frowned. "Is it supposed to?"

I thought about it. "I guess not. I mean, I assumed it would. It bothers a lot who phase until they find their mates. Aren't you scared of not finding yours?"

He smirked again and the emotion reached his eyes. "Not really. I don't think we're all meant to find our mates. There are a lot of us in the Quileute pack. If we all found our mates, there'd be no single people left in this area of the country." His arms wrapped around my waist again as we swayed in one spot. His brown eyes stared at something over my shoulder, something that wasn't here in the clearing with us. "Nah, I'm happy just as I am, a teenage boy." Now he met my gaze and grinned. "I like being single and floating around. I like playing the field. As long as the ladies know I'm not looking for something serious, we're all happy with me sleeping around."

My mouth dropped open. "You sleep with all of them?"

His mouth twisted. "What? You think we just sit there and have scintillating conversations?"

"But what about pregnancy?" I whispered.

Now he gave me a "duh" look. "Nechole, we can scent when females are fertile. It's easier to scent in humans, though. And that's why I only sleep with human girls. I'm careful. Promise. Besides, the free agent life is pretty much drama free as long as everyone knows the terms."

"We don't have drama."

"Nechole," he said slowly, "really? Do you want to tell me that that clap I heard earlier wasn't you slapping Gage?" When I didn't answer, he nodded. "That's what I thought. Drama. And right now, I don't want that. I like my girls submissive and wanting to please me."

I scoffed. "Don't be a pig."

He shook his head. "It's not like that, Nechole. And because you don't understand that, I can't explain it to you. Not to mention you're an alpha female. You don't live to please anybody but yourself. You're not now nor will you ever be a submissive female, and maybe that's what Gage likes. Personally, I don't. I don't want someone who will argue with me or be mad at me constantly."

One of my eyebrows went up. "So you're the type of guy who wants his woman in the kitchen?"

Disgust flowed over his face. "Will you stop that? You make it sound terrible." Sighing, he looked up and around us. "This conversation isn't supposed to be about me."

"Tough cookies. Explain."

Even though we had been talking about me and Gage, I was actually interested in what Tate was saying. He was so different from Gage and it was hard to fathom that a dominant male would want a submissive female, especially in our pack. So many of us were in the forefront of the action that it was impossible to think of strong couples not fight together on the front lines. I wanted to know more.

Tate sighed again but this time I could tell he wasn't happy about the change in topic. "Look, it's not like I want a slave. Do I like the idea of coming home to a home and good meal? Hell yes. I like the old way of things I guess where there's a housewife home with the kids, waiting for me. I want a female that wants to be taken care of, one that trusts me to do that."

I stared up at him, studying him. It hurt to realize that I didn't really know him. Or Gage for that matter. But I could totally see the image Tate had just painted for me. I nice, sweet female with a soft smile and kind eyes greeting him at the door while a couple of kids ran around. He hadn't just been talking submissive in the bedroom. Tate wanted a woman that would give him everything she was, including her control, and he would provide for her and their family in return for that surrender.

My affection for him grew to something personal and pricked my eyes. It was weird to think about Tate having sex or having a family, but in that moment, I saw that vision clearer than what I wanted in my own future.

Tate looked down at me with a slight frown. "What is it? You're about to cry again."

Clearing my throat, I shook my head and carefully swiped away the moisture. "It's nothing. I just…" Looking up, I met his gaze. "I could see that for you, what you just described."

He blinked at me in surprise. "Really?"

I nodded, putting as much sincerity into my voice as possible. "Yeah, I can. It's very…wholesome."

His eyes narrowed. "You think it's unrealistic."

Shrugging was my only noncommittal action. "I just think that what you want you won't find with one of our wolves, at least not in the Quileute pack. And I know you and Gage don't hang out with Walker's pack. Maybe there's a female there for you. Or maybe she's human."

Tate laughed, a surprisingly deep sound as he hugged me to him. "Nechole, I didn't tell you that so you can play matchmaker. My mate will either come into my life or not. If not, well, I can't miss what I've never had. And if she does, then I'll be that male she needs."

Taken by surprise at the closeness, I hesitated before hugging him back. I pressed my cheek to his chest, listening to the heavy heartbeat, and thinking about everything. Gage was supposedly my mate and yet it seemed like we were in chaos without even having started anything. But Tate was completely put together, his plans had backup plans. He was so sure in his future even though we were teenagers.

Moving my face a little, I looked around Tate's arm to watch Gage. Katie was laughing at something he'd said, Gage smiling back. He was more relaxed than he'd been walking over to them. My future was just a few yards away and I was unsure of what to do. Despite agreeing with Tate, I still felt betrayed by not being told. But on the other hand, I didn't want to be mad at Gage. I wanted to stop his hurting and move past this, maybe go on a date or something. The most logical thing would be for us to talk.

While I was thinking, I zoned back in to the meadow and realized I was meeting Gage's hazel eyes.

 **GagePOV**

Nechole was staring off into space around Tate's arm, seemingly staring at me. But I noticed the moment she focused and came back to the clearing.

Our eyes connected and a shock went through me.

Breaking the contact, I walked away toward one of the drink tables and grabbed a glass of champagne. Once I finished that glass off, I set the empty down, grabbed another and wandered off toward the bridge. Sitting down, I put my legs through the slats, dangling them over the edge.

The water rushing under me was dark. Even with night vision, the color was black. In the dark, there was no way to tell how deep it was or where the rocks were located. The flickering lights from the gas lamps and strung bulbs were like fireflies on the water, flickering wherever the waves tossed.

Apologizing to Katie had gone better than I'd expected. She'd listened intently, nodding as I fumbled my way through it. Then she'd given me a small smile and a thank you. She'd told me not to worry about it, that she didn't blame me.

I had just loosened my tie as soft steps sounded behind me.

"Mind if I join you?" Nechole said softly.

I shook my head and motioned to the space next to me. After rearranging her dress, she mirrored my position, swinging her bare feet softly. I smiled; she didn't like heels.

Silently, I offered my glass.

Her brows went up. "Really?"

I shrugged. "Don't have to. Just thought I'd offer."

She shivered and shook her head. "No, thanks."

Setting the glass on smooth wood of the bridge, I shrugged out of my jacket and put it around her shoulders.

Her body jumped in surprise and she blinked over at me. "I don't need this," she said even as she stuck her arms through it.

I quirked an eyebrow and started rolling my sleeves up to my elbow. "You haven't changed yet. Still human and you can still get cold. I saw you shiver."

"Oh. Well, thank you." She gave me a small smile before turning to rail boards and folding her arms over it. "I need to apologize to you. I shouldn't have hit you."

I looked over at her profile. She was staring out over the water. The light reflected in her eyes, bouncing off the shimmer there.

Reaching out, I pushed a curl back from her face. She startled. "You don't owe me anything, Nechole. I deserved it."

Her solid brown eyes seemed black in darkness. "No, you didn't. And you're not supposed to hit people you care about."

I smirked. "I'm pretty sure we don't know each other well enough for that rule to count."

Anger thinned her face down as she knocked my hand away. "Stop that, Gage. I'm trying to apologize to the boy who might someday be the man in my life. You're not supposed to abuse people who are important to your future. I lost my temper when you were showing true remorse at your actions. Will you just accept the apology?"

I raised my hands up in surrender. "Alright, you're a terrible person but I forgive you." Lowering my hands, a smile tugged at my lips. "Better?"

She gave me a look. "I could have lived without the terrible person part, but yes, that's better."

Looking away, I took a big drink of the champagne. "Man in your life, huh?"

"I said someday, okay? Don't get too excited."

I snorted into the glass and she laughed, too.

"God, we're a mess," she groaned, rubbing her hands over her face.

"We're teenagers. We're supposed to be a mess."

With a sigh, she leaned over to put her head on my shoulder. Her hair smelled like cinnamon as it brushed my cheek. "Everyone else makes this imprinting thing seem so simple."

"I bet it used to not be. A lot of those who imprint now have known their mates for a long time. You know Carlisle thinks the imprinting has evolved. But it's different for you and me. While we grew up together, we were never close. Sometimes it's hard knowing for certain that you're supposed to be soulmates without even dating. It puts a lot of pressure on us because we'll start thinking that we'll automatically know the other person. I'm not saying I automatically love you and think I know everything about you. In fact, I know I don't."

For a long moment, we just sat there, listening to the water rush beneath us. The breeze blew tendrils of her hair up over my face, forcing more of her scent into my sinuses.

"You know," I said softer than before, "maybe we can forget about the whole imprinting thing and pretend we're normal teenagers."

Nechole lifted her head so that her eyes could study me. "You'd do that?"

I nodded. "Yeah. It puts too much pressure on us to grow up. Tate is right; I want to be a teenager for as long as I can be. And I'd love if you'd do it with me. Of course, we'll have pack responsibility, but when that's not going down, we hang out. Do normal things like go to the movies, eat crappy food."

Nechole laughed, her body moving against mine. "That sounds…amazing. Erik always wanted to plan everything and go to the nicest places."

Resting my cheek on the top of her head, I shook mine. "Not me. I'm a down home boy. You have to at least know that about me."

"Yeah," she said quietly.

Taking a deep breath of cinnamon scented air, I set my glass down and gently moved until I could stand up.

Nechole looked up at me as I held my hand down to her.

"Dance with me? Really dance this time?"

Smiling, she put her hand in mine and let me help her up. She fluffed the dress a little so it wasn't wrapped around her feet. I wrapped my arm around her waist under my jacket that she'd kept on and pulled her toward me while take her other hand. Her eyebrows went up but she went with it and stepped in a slow circle with me. After a few moments, she put her head on my chest.

"This is really nice."

I smiled. "Yeah it is."

"Gage?"

"Yeah?"

"Are you going to try to change me?"

Frowning, I pulled back. "What are you talking about?"

The fact that she wouldn't meet my eyes told me just how feminine she actually was. Most of the time, she played the tough female. But at her very core, she didn't want to be tough all the time. She wanted someone to lean on, someone she could show how exhausted she was at the end of the day.

She swallowed hard. "I know that I can be difficult and moody and challenging but-,"

Stopping our movements, I cupped her face to get her to look at me. "Listen to me, I want us to go at our own pace. This is not going to be easy for either one of us. I don't want to change you. I want to learn to love you for who you are, just like a normal couple. I want to be there for you. I want to see what you are willing to let me see, and all of that is going to take time. It won't happen in a night or even a week. Slow, Nechole. Slow."

Her breath shook and she nodded. "I like the sound of that. This might scare me just a little bit. I've only ever depended on my sisters."

Lowering her head, I kissed her forehead. "Then keep depending on them until you trust me. I'm not asking for everything right this second. You do what makes you comfortable. But we have to talk to each other just like this. I like that you told me that it scares you. That way I can try to figure out how to get us through this. It's going to be harder for you than it is for me. I've already been through the worst of it by watching you with another guy. I will wait for however long you need, and not just because the imprint. It's because that's the kind of guy I am. I'd never push a female to do something she wasn't ready for."

Her lips trembled, hands sliding over my wrists. "Now I really am sorry for hitting you."

That made me chuckle. She laughed, too, but the tears fell. I brushed them away before she could.

"We're past that."

No longer dancing, I wrapped my arms around her, tucking her head under my chin. Her arms wrapped around my waist. "I don't want you to ever fear me, Nechole. My dad would beat the hell out of me if I ever made a female afraid of me. And honestly, I'd let him. A female should never be scared of a male she's supposed to trust, and I want you to trust me."

"I do trust you."

"Only because I'm pack." I shook my head. "No, I want you to trust me because of me. Think about it. If we weren't wolves and had just seen each other around school and I'd asked you out, would you have immediately trusted me?"

She was quiet for a moment before saying, "No."

"Exactly. I know it's hard to see around the imprint, but that's what I want. I want you to learn how to depend on me without all that."

Nodding, she pulled back. "Okay. I understand." She hugged herself, still in the circle of my arms. "So what happens after this, after tonight?"

Resting my hands on her hips, I swayed us. "Well I think this would be the part where I ask for your number, but I already have it. So, I guess I'll just have to ask you out."

A slow smile pulled at her lips. "Oh really?"

I nodded. "Yep."

Her expression went flat. "If you say dinner and a movie, there's a strong possibility of you getting hit again."

Narrowing my eyes, I pressed my lips together as if I'd had every intention of saying that, which I hadn't. "Hmmm, how about we start off small? Dinner and a walk through the park."

She squinted at me. "Really?"

I nodded. "Really. I'm a romantic at heart and we don't need to dive into anything. I'll come pick you Monday night."

Her expression dropped, suddenly vulnerable. "Please not the café," she whispered.

I shook my head. "As far as I'm concerned, you will never walk into that place again if you don't want to." Katie and Parker had told me what Erik had done, that he'd just taken her there because he'd had his eyes on the barista. "I'll pick you up, okay? I've gotta work that day so I'll text you when I get off. It should be around four."

The smile was all open and sweet. "This is so normal."

"Yep," I said, popping the word.

Now she grinned and my breath stopped for just a second. "I really like this."

When I swallowed my heart back into my chest and my breathing straightened out, I said, "All we need to do is talk. I'll give you what you need, but you've got to let me. Give and get. I won't let you down."

A frown wrinkled the skin between her brows. "I feel like you're offering me everything, catering to me, and I'm doing nothing for you."

"And what would you want to do for me besides apologize for hitting me?"

Smiling a little, she went up on her toes to kiss my cheek. "Be there for you. If you ever need to talk about something. I know our families are complicated and you can't always go to Tate. I'll be your confidant, if you want. Guys need to talk, too."

Honestly, most guys would have scoffed and played the tough guy. But I wasn't one of them. She was asking me to trust her in return, offering me a sanctuary or normalcy.

I brushed her hair back again. "Thank you."

We shared a smile, just standing there in the flickering darkness with the sound of the river beneath us. It was a good moment.

A throat cleared behind me.

I turned with Nechole in my arms. Embry was standing there. His tie was at half mast, jacket gone, and sleeves rolled up. He had his hands in his pockets and a little smile on his face.

"Your mother's looking for you, Nechole."

Nechole rolled her eyes and shook her head with a smile. She looked up at me. "Translation: he wants to talk you."

I grinned. "Yeah I figured. I'll catch up with you."

The smile dimmed down to a soft lift of lips that was meant just for me. I didn't know how I knew that, but I did. "Sure," she said. After squeezing my hand, she walked toward her dad and patted his arm before heading back to the party.

Embry and I watched each other for a minute before he walked onto the bridge. We both turned toward the river, staring out.

We were quiet for so long that I thought he wasn't going to say anything.

"I'm going to assume that we don't need to have a talk."

I put my hands in my pockets and shook my head. "No need. I won't hurt her on purpose. And if I do on accident-,"

"Then the two of you will work it out."

Shocked, I turned to him, brows in my hairline. "What?"

He turned to me with a smirk. "I didn't come here to threaten you, Gage. You're teenagers and no relationship is perfect. It would be stupid to be all dad about this. It won't matter. The two of you will still fight and hurt each other. All I ask is that you take care of her, don't let something stupid damage what you two could have."

I nodded. "I promise."

He took a deep breath as if that calmed his nerves. "You both are right at that in between age where in some things, you're still kids. But in others, you're expected to act like adults. And I hated that feeling, like nobody trusted that I could make good decisions for the people I cared about. The age difference between me and Tricia was bad enough that everybody gave me the hairy eyeball every time we were together, like I'd molest her or something. I knew better." He gave me very direct eye contact. "I'm trusting you to know better, Gage. I've known you since you were born, and I know how Caden and Leah raised you. And if you ever need guy advice on how to deal with her, you can ask me. I know my daughter."

Again, I bobbed my head in a nod. "Thank you. I'm just as new at this whole dating, relationship thing but I promise that I'll go with my gut on how to treat her. I won't say that I already love her because that'll be the imprint talking. I want it to be me that's talking to you. I want to learn to love her as a guy should learn to love his girl, not how some mystical soulmate finder says I should."

Embry studied me for a long time before he nodded and clapped me on the shoulder. "You're a good man, Gage. I appreciate the honesty." Stepping into me, he put his arm over my shoulders. "Now, we should get back. I think Jules has been hunting for you for a picture."

"I thought pictures were over," I said as I bent down for the glass and then walked with him off the bridge.

"The official, posed pictures, yes. Not the candid, party pictures."

I groaned.

He laughed and pushed me toward the crowd.

Blowing out a breath, I went to find the bride.

* * *

 **Alright, guys! Let know if this chapter lived up to your expectations. All of you wanted to see them, so please tell me! Love y'all! xoxoxoxo**


	16. Chapter 16

**I know I've been gone too long when I get messages and reviews asking me to update! This is a long chapter and I've been working on it for a while. It's mostly on Ash and Cole but I really felt like it was necessary in getting us to where I really wanna be. I actually really loved this chapter, especially the end. So I hope you guys like it. I know a lot of you like Ryell and Dox better, but I promise that we will see much more of them.**

 **And speaking of other couples, an obscene amount of you want to see the Clearwaters' honeymoon. So I've decided that I will add it as a one shot at the end of this story. I have my reasons for not adding it as a separate story, so just expect it at the end.**

 **Please Enjoy!**

* * *

 **ColePOV**

The whistle was shrill as I blew it to signal the end of practice.

As cohesive as a unit should be, they all groaned and dropped to the muddy ground as one.

I smirked. "Good job today, guys. Tomorrow, you'll get a break and we'll go over plays. It's supposed to storm."

Most of them halfheartedly cheered while the rest gave thumbs-up as they helped each other off the ground to start for the locker rooms. As usual, Nick, my team captain hung back. He took his position seriously and watched out for his fellow players. Though he was a jock, he was a good kid and I was absurdly grateful for that. He kept the others in line.

I fell into step beside him. "So, how's tutoring going?"

He took off his helmet and flattened his black hair. "Really good. Mr. Black is awesome. I've got a good feeling that I passed my midterm."

I nodded. "That's great, but you know you don't have to call him that. He's not much older than you. You can call him Ash."

Nick smirked. "That would be really weird, to be honest. You're 'coach' and he's your boyfriend and my tutor. I think I'll stick with Mr. Black."

Chuckling, I clapped a hand on his shoulder. "How are they doing?" I asked, nodding toward the team in front of us.

Now, Nick went serious, a slight frown between his brows. "They're good. A couple of them are still struggling with grades, though. They're seeing school tutors but I think they might need to see Mr. Black. I think he relates better to us."

I frowned, too, watching the boys I've come to care about. "Sure. I'll talk to him about some extra work. The pack is calm right now so I'm sure he needs something to do."

"Didn't his sister just get married?"

I nodded. "Yeah, she and Bray are on their honeymoon. They'll be back in a few days. Is there anything else other than school?"

"Well, Nechole broke up with Erik."

With immense will power, I held back the snort. "Yeah, I know about that one."

Nick gave me a sideways glance. "I heard he hit Katie."

All I could do was shrug. "He keeps saying it was an accident and so does Katie. But how's he doing?"

"Honestly? He seems pretty pissed, but not exactly at the breakup. Just in general." As we entered the building where our voices would echo, he lowered his while the boys went into the locker room. We stopped outside the door. "He's been saying some pretty bad things about Nechole."

My frown deepened until I knew I was glaring. "What kind of things?"

He stepped closer to me, dropping his voice even more. "That she stepped out on him, though that's not the phrasing he used. Or that all she wanted was to sleep with him. But I don't think they've gotten around yet because nobody on the team really believes him. And I've told them that what's said in the locker room needs to stay there. It's not our job to stir the rumor pot."

I had to remind myself that I was the coach and couldn't go beat up a seventeen-year-old kid. But it was somewhat of an effort. I knew Nechole, not very well, but I knew she wasn't that kind of girl.

Trying to clear my face of expression, I patted Nick on the shoulder. "Good thinking about the rumor stuff, but keep an ear open for me, would you? I don't teach so I'm not around to hear it. Honestly, I didn't think he'd taken it this hard."

Nick shook his head. "None of us thought he was that serious about her. He never talked about her like she was his girlfriend, more like a prize because she was involved with the pack. He was very impressed that he could get inside gossip. After the Katie incident is when he started getting angry, telling everyone she'd messed around on him with a guy in the pack. Said we all knew him but wouldn't tell us who."

"It's because she didn't mess around. During an argument, she said his name as a friend and Erik flipped out." I'd heard the whole story while Ash had ranted about wanting to smash the kid's face in for hurting a female member of the pack. I debated throwing Gage's name out because I didn't want him to get involved. But Nick wasn't that kind of kid. If he knew the information, he might be better equipped to deal with any situation. Pulling Nick away from the door, I lowered my own voice. "You remember Gage Johnson?"

Nick frowned for a moment before nodding. "Yeah, he was pretty cool. He took the exit classes." Then his eyes met mine and widened. "Him? Erik thinks it was him?"

I nodded. "How much do you know about the pack?"

"A fair bit, actually. My brother works at the shop under Jacob." He frowned again. I could see the wheels turning. "Wait, does this have something to do with their mating things?"

"It's called imprinting, but Erik doesn't know that. And it's not something that can be helped. The story is long and complicated, but just know that Nechole didn't cheat. She and Erik never got around to sleeping together, either, so that's bullshit, too. But listen, if you get involved in anything, don't use Gage's name, okay? This doesn't need to get messier. Just keep an eye on things for me."

Nick nodded solemnly before smirking. "Be your spy."

I nodded back. "Yeah, if you're okay with that."

The smirk went away again. "Yeah, I don't mind. I don't like guys who treat girls like that."

"Good man, and thanks. Why don't you get cleaned up."

He nodded and started for the locker room, but turned just before going in. "Hey, Coach?"

"What's up?"

His eyes lowered to the floor. "I think Kevin is having issues again. He won't talk about it, but he's been quieter than usual."

My stomach clenched but I nodded. "Thanks. I'll see what I can do."

Kevin was one of the boys who had recently come to talk to me about coming out. While everyone was okay with it, including his parents, he was not. He was struggling to merge himself with the guy he'd been before. To some people, the closet was a far different world than the one on the other side of that door.

While Nick went into the locker room and closed the door behind him, I sighed and started for my office. This team wasn't just a project for me. I always called them "my boys" because they were like nephews or little brothers to me. I wanted to watch out for them and help them, support them as best I could when others failed them. They were important to me because I knew a lot of them didn't have great home lives, which was why they were on the team to begin with. Many of them I had encouraged to join or at least try out when I'd seen them watching practices from the bleachers.

I was just walking into my office and trying to decide how to talk to Kevin when the first panicked shout rang down the hall from the locker room.

There was no hesitation as I ran back down the hallway and burst into the room.

The guys were all running for the showers but let me pass.

Nick and Kevin were kneeling beside one of the boys who was curled up on the tile.

"What happened?"

Kevin shook his head, his wet hair sticking to his face. "Don't know. He just collapsed."

One of the boys went to turn off the showers while I knelt beside them, water soaking into my jeans. Another handed me a towel to cover his nakedness. Leaning over, I saw that it was Casey. He was on his side, eyes squeezed tight, arms wrapped around his middle.

"Casey? Can you hear me? It's Coach."

His body tightened, teeth gritted. "It hurts."

I looked up at Kevin. "Can you back everyone up?"

He nodded, securing the towel around his hips, and went to do as I asked.

"What hurts, Casey?" I asked, putting my attention back on him.

Nick bent over and frowned, looking at something on Casey's front. "Coach, he's got some sort of wound."

"Let's roll him over, carefully."

Together, we got him onto his back and kept covered. It took some struggling to move his hands from his middle.

"Casey, I need to see so I can help you."

He finally let me pry his arms up. What I saw made the blood drain from my head. "Shit," I hissed. I usually tried not to cuss around the boys but I couldn't help it.

There were four deep claw marks across his abdomen. They had to be claw marks. The skin was ragged and ripped.

Nick hissed. "Damn."

"What the hell happened?"

Nick shook his head. "He went to visit his dad in Seattle this weekend. He said he'd gotten in a fight."

"Some fight," Kevin said as he looked over his shoulder.

This didn't make any sense, but I knew that I needed to call Ash. While I pulled my phone out, I stroked Casey's hair. He was writhing on the floor, eyes kept tightly shut.

"Hey," Ash said when he picked up. "Practice over?"

"Yeah but I've got a problem."

Without saying a word, I knew his demeanor changed. "What's wrong?" His voice had deepened, attention going sharp and alert.

"One of my players has claw marks across his stomach. Came back from Seattle with them, but he's just now complaining that they hurt. How close is the full moon?"

"Shit," Ash hissed. He knew what I did. This wasn't a wound from a Quileute wolf and that meant it had been a Child, which in turn meant infection. "I'm on my way. Call Walker or Jason, see if they have any guys close by."

When he hung up, I dialed Jason. He knew his enforcers better than Walker did and right now, those were the guys I wanted. Freshly infected wolves could be volatile, randomly shifting body parts the more their control slipped. That or Casey's body was trying to fight off the infection, causing the pain.

"What's up, Cole?" Jason answered. His voice was deep and ragged, and I didn't really want to think about why.

"You got any guys close to the high school on the rez?"

"What? Why?" His voice lost the breathlessness as his attention sharpened just like Ash's had.

"Because I've got a kid here with claw marks on him. He's rolling around on the floor saying that it hurts. I got a feeling he's gonna need some help that I'm not equipped to give him."

"Fuck," he spat. "Yeah I'll text them now and I'm on my way. What the fuck happened?" he demanded while something flapped around in the background.

I shook my head. "All I know is what another of the boys told me. He went to Seattle for a parental visit and got into a fight with someone. He came back days ago but is just now complaining that it hurts."

"Well that makes sense. The full moon is two days away. Is he randomly shifting or just writhing around?"

I lifted one of his hands. "No claws or fangs. His eyes are closed so I can't tell."

"He's fighting it. Probably has been for days. Tough kid."

"Yeah well, we're in a locker room, Jason. I don't know how much fight he has left. Can newly infected wolves shift before the full moon? I didn't think that was possible."

"It's possible. Doesn't happen very often because they're usually surrounded by pack. The pack keeps them calm until the full moon. He's been fighting this on his own. I'm on my way. Keep the others away from him."

When he hung up, I threw my phone down. Casey had curled around my knees. Grimacing, he looked up at me. His eyes made my blood run cold. They were flickering between brown and amber.

"I'm sorry, Coach," he whispered.

I gripped his shoulder and shook my head. "Don't be. Help is on the way, I promise. Just hang on a little longer." I looked up at Nick. "Get the guys back or out of here. It could turn messy if he stops fighting."

With a sharp nod, Nick was up and moving. I could feel him getting the guys to back away from us while I focused on Casey.

"You're doing great," I told him. "We're gonna get you taken care of."

"Mr. Black!"

"Where are they?"

"Showers."

Ash was at my side a moment later.

We traded looks.

"You okay?" he asked.

I nodded. "Physically, yeah. What the hell is going on?" I hissed. "I thought Seattle was neutral? This doesn't feel neutral."

He shook his head. "Walker put out the word to all packs of the Children. I don't know what happened, but I'm sure he can find out."

The first clue that someone else had joined us was that the room went quiet aside from Casey's occasional whimpers.

Surprise widened my eyes when Mark walked around to kneel on the other side of Casey.

"What are you doing here? You're supposed to be with my sister."

His jaw clenched. "Jason texted me. I was the closest enforcer. Nik is with Victoria." He didn't look happy about that. Not for the first time, I wondered if there was something going on between the two of them. They'd gotten awful close at Jules's wedding. Mark hadn't liked other guys near her even though he'd tried to hide it.

I shook my head. Now wasn't the time to worry about my sister's love life.

He leaned over the whimpering boy. "What's his name?"

"Casey."

Mark touched his shoulder to roll him over. "Casey, my name is Mark," he said in a surprisingly soothing tone.

But Casey didn't think so. A low growl trickled between his teeth. The sound made my skin tighten.

Mark answered with his own. "Easy, kid. You don't want to get into a pissing contest with me."

The anger in Casey's eyes flickered out replaced with pain. "I'm sorry. I can't…control…it."

"I know," Mark said in that smooth voice again. "We'll get you to the pack. We'll help you."

"This sucks," Casey hissed.

Mark chuckled. "Yeah it's no party, that's for sure." Gently, he pulled Casey away from me and pulled the kid into his lap. He put his arm close to Casey's face. Mark looked up at me. "You don't smell like pack. You smell like food. I'm not an alpha but I smell like pack. It might keep him calm until Jason can get here."

He wasn't wrong. Already the pain lines in Casey's face were easing, that skin smoothing out. His breathing started to even, chest rising in a better rhythm. But his hands were still in shaking fists. I pulled the towel up higher onto his hips.

Mark looked at me. "We don't care about such things."

"He's a kid," Ash said. "And human still. He'll care."

Wisely, Mark didn't argue. He knew that even though Ash was a different kind of wolf, he still outranked him.

Moments later, Jason joined us. He knelt down and immediately inspected the wound, removing the towel to reveal Casey's naked body. Despite being in pain, Casey's body was responding to something exciting. My eyes went wide when Jason bent over to sniff the claw marks before touching them. It was not a human gesture.

He shook his head. "Not one of the scents I recognize. Outside our pack." He looked at me. "Which one told you about the fight?"

"Me," Nick said, coming forward.

"I need you to tell me exactly what he said."

Nick shook his head. "That's it. He didn't even show me that," he said, motioning to the marks. "He had a bruise on his face and I asked him what happened. He said he got into it with some guy when he was staying with his dad."

Jason was studying Nick so intensely that I knew he was listening and watching to see if Nick was lying. "Did he tell you anything about this guy?"

Nick shook his head again. "No, and I didn't ask. He said he was okay. It was just a brawl."

Jason looked at me and Ash. "Apparently not."

I frowned. "You don't think this was a fluke? Some random wolf?"

Jason's blond hair flashed in the light when he shook his head. "No, I don't. It's not my job to assume it's random. I have to play this like an attack."

"Is he going to be okay?" Nick asked.

The look Jason gave him was not friendly but Nick didn't back down. He just stared right back.

Finally Jason sighed. "He won't be on the team anymore, but he'll be okay."

"What?" Nick asked.

Jason glared again.

I frowned. Jason wasn't usually this angry.

"Would you want him to snap your neck if he tackled you?" he demanded. "Because that's what could happen. That and much worse." He looked down at Casey. "No, he won't have control of himself for a while. He's not an alpha or even a dominant."

"How do you know that?" Ash asked.

"I can sense it. Even before shifting for the first time, you can get a taste of power. He doesn't have much, so his control won't be easy to come by." He sighed. "For now, though, we need to get him to the compound."

"I've gotta call his parents."

Now the dirty look was trained on me. "Let Walker do that."

I gave him a look. "Their parents don't know him. They trust me."

"Yeah but Walker will be his pack leader. Let him do his job."

I was opening my mouth to argue when Ash touched my arm. He shook his head, telling me to be quiet.

I didn't like it but did as I was told.

Jason stared hard at me. "If you always argue this much, you might want to reconsider becoming one of our pack."

My own anger bubbled up. "What the hell is your problem?"

Ash's hand tightened on my arm. But he didn't have to worry.

Jason ignored me and turned to Mark. "I brought a car. Let's get him to Walker."

Together, he and Mark picked up Casey and went for the door.

When they were gone, I looked at Ash. "What the hell was that about?"

He was still staring at the door when he shrugged. "He did say the full moon was only a couple nights away, right? Could be that."

"Whatever," I said, shaking off Ash's hand and standing up. "I have a report to write up now."

Ash stared up at me. "Cole-,"

Without looking back, I walked out. Honestly, I didn't know what was wrong with me but I just didn't want to be around any member of any pack at the moment. Casey writhing in pain or Jason's attitude probably had something to do with that. He couldn't have been grateful that I'd called him?

"Cole! Hey!"

Ash caught up to me. He grabbed my arm and spun me around but I pulled out of his grasp. The growl that followed was loud and angry. It surprised me enough that when Ash grabbed the back of my neck and steered me toward my office, I didn't fight him. He practically threw me into the room before slamming and locking the door behind him. When I turned around, he was glaring at me, his chest pumping with his breaths.

He growled again. "What the hell is wrong with you? Don't you _ever_ pull away from me like that again."

The words caught in my throat as I watched him. I was just a touch afraid of him at that moment. "I…I'm…"

"Don't you fucking say you're sorry. You better not ever do that again, do you understand me?" He stalked over to me like the animal he was, all lethal grace. He wrapped his hand around my jaw, holding it firm, and got in my face. "You are mine, Cole, and when I touch you like that, it means I want your fucking attention." His lips were almost touching mine when he whispered, "Am I clear?"

I swallowed hard around his hand and nodded as best I could.

Ash brushed his mouth against mine before pulling away and letting me go. "Good. Now what the hell is your problem?"

The tension abandoned me, leaving my knees weak. I collapsed against the desk and rubbed the back of my neck. "I guess I didn't like how Jason did that. Casey is…he's part of the team, one of my boys. It should have been me to take care of him, to tell his parents."

Ash crossed his arms over his chest and watched me. "He had a point, Cole." He held up a hand to stop my protesting. "Look, I know you're protective of them. I tutor over half of them. I get it. The problem is that Casey is now going to be pack. If he'd shifted before we got there, he could have torn up everyone in that room, including you. And you may not have made it out alive. It's a delicate situation and Walker will know how best to handle it. Now if his mom calls and wants to talk to you, nobody will stop that. And you can explain to her that you deferred to Walker because of the situation. As for Jason's attitude, you know he likes you. He's probably just stressed. Being head enforcer can't be a party all the time. And it's two days to the full moon with an attack victim on the ground."

Crossing my arms over my chest, I shook my head. "I don't remember him being like this on other full moons. And what did he mean that I should reconsider being pack for arguing?"

Ash moved away to lean against the door and sighed. "Fights for dominance can break out from arguments. Packs are cohesive units, rarely any squabbles, especially with our two packs. If you pick the infection, then you will probably come out the other side as dominant and could easily work up to being alpha. Walker's pack isn't like other packs that belong to the Children. By comparison, other Children packs would tear them apart even though our enforcers are good. In those packs, violence is as common as breathing. Pack leaders can rise and fall within a month. Jason is probably worried about how fast you could rise in their pack structure and possibly take out Walker."

My frown deepened. "I would never go after Walker. His system works. Besides, Ryell is set to take over. The pack has chosen to keep the leadership in the family."

"That's true," Ash nodded. "But most of his wolves have come from other packs. They probably wouldn't question old traditions flaring back; they wouldn't be surprised." Taking a deep breath, he moved away from the door, locking it as he came toward me. "But listen, it was probably just the full moon talking in Jason. He knows you're not that kind of person."

I was still frowning at the locked door when he stepped in front of me. We were almost exactly the same height so the eye contact was extremely intimate when he looked at me, his face close enough that our lips brushed. He wrapped his body around mine, touching from chest to thigh. I could tell he was hard under his loose shorts.

"Your clothes are wet," he whispered.

I quirked an eyebrow. "Really?" I said, my voice growing rough. "I hadn't noticed."

Ash smirked as he reached for the hem of my shirt. I raised my arms so he could lift it off me without ripping it off me. Once it was on the floor, he went to his knees in front of me. When his dark eyes rolled up to my face, my cock went hard so fast it made my head spin. It didn't take long until my wet pants were shoved down around my ankles with my underwear.

Ash had me in his hand before he'd even gotten the jeans down to my knees, working my length with skill.

Then I was in his mouth. I had to throw my hand out onto the desk to catch my weight as my knees went weak. Hot, tight, and warm encased my erection, sucking and licking.

I cursed when his teeth scraped over me.

He went to his knees to pull his shorts down and started stroking himself.

After a couple minutes, he sucked me down to the back of his throat until his lips were touching my body and stopped. He rolled those eyes back up to my face as he choked and gagged, struggling to keep himself there. It had become a game to him to see how long he could fight his gag reflex until I could read the thought in his eyes. The gagging felt amazing around the head of my cock but I knew he wouldn't last much longer. Luckily, I recognized the look in those dark eyes.

He was begging me to take him, to fuck his mouth until he had to swallow me down.

Putting my hands in his hair, I held his head in place and slowly pulled out of that wet warmth. Ash took a deep, ragged breath. He'd stayed too long and his spit trailed down his chin. My cock was coated in it. It was hot as fuck and the thought made my erection twitch eagerly. But I let him get a few good deep breaths because the next time I entered his mouth, I wouldn't come out until I was finished.

My voice was as ragged as his breathing when I said, "Get my shirt and wrap it around your cock. We don't want any messes."

Still licking his lips, he nodded and reached between my legs for the white fabric, wrapping it around himself.

And that was the allure of Ash. He was wonderfully dominant in every other aspect of his life yet he wanted to be told what to do in intimate settings. He wanted me to have some sort of control over him, and I wanted it.

I swallowed hard. "Ready?"

He nodded.

"Open your mouth."

He did as I told him, keeping his eyes on my face.

With my hands on either side of his head, keeping him still, I entered his mouth. Immediately, he started sucking and licking. But the more I filled him, the less movement he had. All he could do was swallow and tighten his mouth around me. The utter trust in his gaze was what made this more than just fucking. It made it love.

I started thrusting gently, just rocking my hips slowly so he could get a breathing rhythm going.

When I felt him nod against my hands, I tightened my grip and thrust against him.

He closed his eyes, ready for more.

And I gave it to him.

It wasn't as hard as I would have been if I'd been inside a girl who was wet and ready. Mouths are sensitive and throats could only hold so much until you wanted to throw up, so I was gentler than I wanted to be but hard enough to make it feel rough. Ash took every bit. And when I went as deep as I could, I slowed it down so that I wouldn't hurt him. I held him against my body until I felt his throat constrict and his body struggle. One of his hands came up to grip my thigh, nails digging in, while the other kept working himself.

Pulling back enough so that he could breathe, I let him take a couple breaths before going back at it.

It was when he started grunting at his own pleasure that I started to lose my control. His ecstasy was worth far more than my own to me.

"Almost," I said in a husky voice.

He squeezed my thigh twice in succession letting me know he was ready to take whatever I gave him.

"Are you ready?"

Two more squeezes. Yes, he was.

I was only able to give two more shallow thrusts before shoving deep into his mouth, down his throat, and spilling into him. Ash's throat convulsed as he swallowed. I saw his shoulders tense before his body shuddered as he came, squeezing his eyes tightly closed.

When we were done, I collapsed back against the desk and Ash leaned into my legs, his head resting on my hip. He licked his lips before taking the shirt from his body. He folded it up and wiped off his mouth, chin, and chest from where his spit had spilled over.

"Are you okay?"

Tiredly, he smiled and leaned against me again. "Why do you always ask that?"

"Because you want me in control of us while we're intimate. I need to know."

His eyes opened slowly as though his lids were heavy. He smiled and rubbed his cheek on my hip. His breath played along my spent cock. "I'm very much okay, Cole. Trust me, I'll let you know when I'm not."

I put my hand down on his head, stroking his hair. He was purring before I gripped his hair and forced him to look up at me. "No, you won't. If I hurt you, you'll say that you're okay when you're not and suffer silently to keep from telling me."

Kneeling on the floor, he wrapped his arms around my thigh and stared up at me. "I'm not hurt, Cole. I loved every second of it. Besides, even if I lie to you, you know me too well to let me get away with it. You know when I lie."

"Not always."

Ash rubbed his hands along my leg but was finally looking at me without the haze of pleasure. He pulled back a little so that he could really look up without rolling his eyes. "Baby, please. I'm not fragile like a human. Have you ever thought that another reason I might want you in charge of our intimacy is because I'm scared I'll hurt you? You're human, Cole. I never have been. I can take more damage. If I hurt you, I wouldn't be able to forgive myself. Until you decide and make the change, I can't be rough with you, not the way I want. Sometimes, I do want to handle you roughly, like earlier when you walked away from me. I saw the fear in your eyes, fear of me." He shook his head. "I hate that look on your face and I don't want it there when we're together like we just were. You should never be afraid of someone you love or someone who's supposed to love you."

For a moment, all I could do was stare down at him. The air was no longer charged with sex, but with longing and love and just a bit of sadness.

Cupping his jaw and cheek, I tugged a little. "Come here."

In a graceful move, he stood up, our bodies brushing. Using my hold on him, I yanked him toward me, his body falling full on mine. My free hand found the t-shirt and pulled it out from between us so that we were skin on skin, touching from our chests to our knees.

His breathing picked up but I was already pressing our mouths together in a crushing kiss. We both grew hard together, rubbing, but I pulled back.

"I'm not scared of you, Ash," I breathed. "I know you'll never hurt me. I'd just never seen you like that, never had you handle me like that."

He frowned. "But I smelled your fear."

I shrugged. "It was more like an excited fear, like riding a roller coaster. Excited yet still afraid at the what-ifs. I liked it, being your possession."

Closing his eyes, he swallowed and pressed his forehead to mine. "Thank god," he whispered.

Before either of us could say anything else, there was a knock on the door. Ash looked toward the door but I looked down at our naked bodies.

"Just a minute," I called.

Reluctantly, I pulled away from Ash to go to my personal locker for clean, dry clothes while he pulled on his basketball shorts. He hadn't come in with a shirt.

Once my clothes were on and everything tucked away, Ash went to the door and opened it.

A man was standing on the other side, not a student as I'd expected.

He was average height, shorter than me and Ash. His lanky body was leaner than anything, much like a swimmer or basketball player. The curly hair matched his tanned complexion. It was a rich brown, definitely not black. He didn't have the flavor of the rez so I doubted he was Quileute. And by Ash's expression, I knew I was right.

My man's face was screwed down tight into a narrowed frown. He didn't recognize the guy and was suspicious of him even though the guy hadn't even said a word yet. He must have sensed the hostility because his eyes went wide and he held his hands out in a surrender gesture.

"I'm just looking for Coach Harris." His voice was deep but pleasant.

Ash frowned harder.

I cleared my throat. "Actually, it's Coach Black. I go by Black."

His eyes widened. "Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't realize you were a relation. Your emails were signed Harris."

"His name is none of your business. And how do you know about the Blacks?" Ash demanded scathingly.

The man's hazel eyes went cool as they looked at Ash for the first time. "I've heard a lot about the Black family. I did some research before moving here."

I flicked a look at Ash. "I'm a Black by marriage."

Technically, it wasn't a lie. The imprint bound us closer than any piece of paper could. And I wanted to let Ash know that he didn't have anything to worry about in that one statement. I was his, plain and simple.

The guy looked at Ash again, then back to me. He finally landed on Ash. "I take it you're a Black?"

"Ash. Who are you?"

"Ash," I said softly.

He looked back at me before I saw the tension in his shoulders loosen.

The guy walked into the office, stepping wide around Ash. When he came to me, he held his hand out. "I'm Zack. You called me for an interview a week ago."

I took his hand but didn't like the social gaff of him ignoring Ash. "Right. Sorry. It's been a rough day." I motioned to Ash. "Zack, this is Ash, my-,"

"Mate," Ash answered with hostility.

Zack's brows shot up. The word "mate" wasn't used much in the human world. Ash was showing that we weren't exactly normal around here.

I contained the smirk. "Boyfriend."

Zack nodded but neither of them offered to shake hands. "I thought you said you were a Black by marriage?"

I frowned, getting a little uncomfortable with his nosiness. "Ash and I are engaged. It's just easier to explain the name change to say we're married."

Zack nodded again. "Understood. If this is a bad time, we can reschedule."

I shared a look with Ash but shook my head. "Now's fine." I looked back to Ash again. "It shouldn't take long. Could you go check on Casey for me?"

Ash narrowed his gaze knowing that I was trying to get him out of the office and away from Zack. We didn't need more drama.

But he nodded. "I'll call you if something happens," he said coldly.

I took a step toward him but he was already disappearing into the hallway.

Zack was looking from the door to me with brows raised. "I'm sorry if I interrupted something or upset him."

I shook my head and sighed. Turning around, I smiled. "Please, have a seat."

I sat behind the desk and pulled his file out from a stack of them.

Zack's eyes were wide. "I take it you have a lot of applicants."

"A few. Some of them think that they only need to know football for the job."

He nodded solemnly. "It's also about the boys, caring about them. Often they join the team to escape."

I frowned. His words were nearly a perfect echo of my earlier thoughts. "Usually those who understand that know from personal experience."

Zack gave me cool eyes, hiding his emotions. "I take it you'd know?"

I nodded. "Yes, I do. My home life sucked. But that's not what we're here for." Leaning forward on my elbows, I said, "I'm looking for someone to take my spot for a couple months, maybe longer. Then when I can come back, stay as assistant coach. I've already been promised that whoever it is will keep their pay the same as well as benefits after I come back. This person needs to not only be passionate about the game, but about the team. Those boys mean a lot to me. They work well together so I don't really have to interfere. I need someone who thinks like I do because I don't want their schedules and habits to change."

Zack nodded as he listened. "I completely understand that. Kids who need to escape need structure. If I'm hired, I'll follow any schedule you give me." He shifted in the seat. "But I thought you were looking for an assistant coach."

"I am. But I'm planning on taking a couple months off for personal reasons. I physically won't be able to be here but I can be called or emailed should anybody need anything. All I want to do is make sure that they're taken care of. This is my only job and it's very important to me. It's not about winning or losing games. It's about them knowing they have a place to go, someone to talk to."

The eye contact was very direct. "I agree with everything you just said. Being a kid, being normal, is important."

Him agreeing so easily and being on the same brainwaves was unnerving and made me suspicious. "Look, I'm gonna be honest, every other guy I've interviewed hasn't agreed to those terms. They felt they should run the team their way until I come back and then stay on as head coach."

Zack shrugged and brought his hands up like an extension of the shrug. "Like you said, it takes one to know one. You've implied that they haven't had the easiest lives. The guys you've interviewed probably haven't had it rough or they think they can rough and tough them, make them into big he-men." He shook his head. "I'm not like that. Teenage boys are more sensitive than a lot of men remember being. I think you and I are young enough to remember our own houses of horrors. I need this job, okay? I'll follow your lead. And maybe I'm bleeding heart enough to want to help with the kids."

Sitting behind my desk, I studied him. For some reason, he still made me suspicious. But there was also something sincere in him that burned in his hazel eyes.

I took a deep breath. "Alright, fine. I'll talk to the principal, give you a two-week trial run. We'll work together and see if the guys like you. I'm treating this like babysitting. If they don't like you or you don't like them, well, I don't exactly think it'll work out."

He bobbed his head. "Agreed."

"If it doesn't work out, I've got connections here and in Forks so maybe we can find you a job. Right now, I like what I hear from you."

Standing up, I reached over the desk. He took my hand.

"Thanks so much," he said.

We exchanged a few more words before walking down to the principal's office to work out the fine details.

Finally, I could start planning the change to get on with my life.

 **DoxPOV**

Rye and I were in the middle of a make-out session when the first _boom_ rang out on the front door of our cabin.

Breathing hard, she pulled back to put her forehead to mine. She gave a nervous little laugh.

I ran my hands over her body possessively, down her back and over her arms. Down her sides to grip her thighs.

I growled. "Whoever it is better be dying."

Rye pulled back so I could see her grin. Her hands moved from my chest, up my neck, to cup my face. Leaning in, she kissed me quickly. "We can't always be having sex in our down time, Dox."

I scoffed. "That's not a rule."

"Should be," she said. She kissed me again before climbing off my lap. On her way to the door, she grabbed her shirt and pulled it on.

My head fell against the back of the couch, leaving me staring at the ceiling and trying to calm my pulse, my body still thrumming with the need to be inside her. The mating hormones had calmed down since we'd first slept together so it was just my need as a red-blooded male.

"Oh, hey, Ash," Rye said cheerfully.

"Is Dox here?"

That caught my attention, making me frown. Ash was always polite, always greeted people. Instead, he sounded rough and troubled.

Rye faltered. "Um, yeah. He is."

I was up off the couch and heading for the door. "What's up, Ash?"

My twin was standing in the doorway dressed in nothing but a loose pair of basketball shorts and sweat. His face was thinned down with anger or irritation, black eyes burning with the same emotion.

Rye moved around me. "I'll let you two talk."

Ash just watched her for a moment, his eyes intent on her face before he looked at me. I was taken aback because his gaze was hostile. But when he spoke, he sounded calm. "Actually, I need both of you. I take it you don't know about the new kid."

I exchanged a confused glance with Rye.

"New kid?" she asked.

Ash nodded toward her bare feet. "Get your shoes on. As future leaders of this pack, you'll need to see this before Jason can contain the situation."

I frowned. Ash's tone was absolutely empty, almost cold. "Rye, could you give us a sec?"

Without hesitation, she nodded. "Sure. I need to get my shoes anyway."

When she disappeared up the stairs to our room, I looked at Ash. "Is everything okay? Something's off with you."

The muscles in his jaw shifted as he clenched his teeth, shook his head, and looked away. "Nothing."

"Bullshit," I growled. I shoved him back so I could step outside and close the door behind me. "You know, our caring and sharing bit is a two-way street, brother. You got in my face about the pity party shit I threw when Rye's cycle peaked. Now, it's my turn. What is wrong with you?"

Ash shook his head again and stepped back. But this time he answered. "I don't know. A guy showed up for an interview at Cole's office right after we-," he stopped himself and looked at me, anger glittering in his eyes. "I don't know why but I hate the guy. I don't want him near Cole, and I don't even know who he is. And then Cole just…just dismissed me asking me to come check on Casey while he stayed back to interview the guy. Alone."

I was so confused that I doubted a road map would help.

Holding up my hand, I made a push away gesture. "Slow down. Who's Casey?"

Ash let out a frustrated breath. "Member of the football team who got sliced up in Seattle visiting his dad. Jason and Mark came to get him. He was fighting the infection and collapsed. They brought him back up here." Now he glared at me. "But that's not what my attitude is about."

I gave him a look. "Yeah, I know. Your problem is that you're jealous. But why?"

He shook his head. "I have no fucking clue. All I know is that I wanted to tear him apart the moment he looked at Cole. The guy isn't from the rez, and I don't like him."

"Yeah, you said that."

Ash glared again. "You could be a little more sympathetic."

I frowned and shrugged. "Why? Cole isn't going anywhere, Ash. You're it for him. This new guy is just that: new."

Ash scowled. "He liked Cole. I could smell it."

"Again, and?" I gripped his shoulders. "Look, man. I get it. The guy isn't from around here so he doesn't know which lines not to cross, but he'll learn if he sticks around. Honestly, I'd probably be the same if the situation was me and Rye. But I'm telling you as a rational, objective party, it'll be fine."

For a long moment, he studied me. And then his anger melted away as he gripped my arms. "I can't lose Cole, Dox. I can't."

"You won't, Ash. I promise. The jealousy is irrational. You'll realize that it's misplaced soon enough."

Behind us, the door opened.

"Am I interrupting?" Ryell asked as she looked from one to the other of us.

Giving Ash one last firm look, I stepped back and shook my head. "No. Ash was just about to explain the new kid."

My brother's eyes stayed on me like I was an anchor keeping him from either floating away or drowning. He swallowed hard a few times before he could start talking. "Cole called me about an hour ago saying one of his players needed help, pack help. When I got down there, another player told me that Casey had said he'd gotten into a fight in Seattle while visiting his dad. There were deep claw marks in his stomach. He'd collapsed in the shower. He kept saying it hurt and his eyes were changing. Mark showed up right before Jason got there. They put Casey in a car and brought him up here."

Ryell was frowning and chewing on a thumbnail. "When was this fight?"

"Over the weekend, during Jules's wedding, I guess. Casey visits his dad every other weekend or something like that."

"But that was nearly a week ago," she said sharply.

Ash just shrugged. "Jason said Casey wouldn't be a dominant but that he was still strong for fighting it this long."

I watched Ryell as she donned her leadership role. She became more focused, more concerned about her people. There was a sharpness to her as she watched and listened to Ash talk, taking in everything he said as well as his emotions and movements.

She nodded intently. "That is pretty tough. Do you know where they took him?"

Ash shook his head, his anger starting to dissipate in light of the current situation. "Jason didn't say. He was irate, though. Probably to do with the full moon coming up."

"Probably," Rye said as she started trekking through the woods. "They either took him to the cells or the infirmary."

Ash and I shared a look before we followed her toward the compound.

Rye dug her phone out and dialed. She did this a couple times. "Jason's not answering."

The infirmary was closer than the cells so we stopped there first. Ash opened the door for us as I followed my mate inside. The gesture was for as much show as it was good manners. On this compound, dealing with this pack, we all knew that Rye and I were the power couple. As soon as we walked through, we had the immediate attention of every wolf and worker within seeing distance. Rye sauntered in like she owned the place and I followed like a silent, menacing shadow. The mate that would tear anything apart if it looked at her the wrong way. Ash stood just behind me. Though he was half naked, he was still just as imposing.

I watched everyone watch us as Rye spoke with one of the females at the front desk.

The woman frowned and shook her head. I heard her say, "But Frank was called to the cells a bit ago."

Rye came back to us. "He's at the cells." She was scowling. Clearly Jason was going to get an earful.

We left and headed for the cells. Some of the pack stopped to watch us, wondering what our focus was on.

As we got closer, I saw the two enforcers standing outside exchange a wide-eyed look. One of them nodded and went inside, no doubt to warn Jason that we were on our way.

Just as we got to the door, Jason came out. He waited for us, his eyes on Ryell. His gaze was respectful but determined.

He held his hands up. "Rye-,"

"I want to see him," she demanded as she stopped in front of him, planting her feet.

Ash and I stopped just behind her.

Jason straightened up, crossing his arms over his chest and looking down his nose at her. His expression thinned his face into haughty arrogance. "Ryell, I don't think-,"

Ryell growled as she stepped close enough that the toes of their shoes touched. "I wasn't aware I asked a question, Jason."

They glared at each other for a few heartbeats.

"Move," Ryell ordered. "Now."

Jason's face lost the haughty expression, turning hesitant. He moved aside and bowed a little as he did.

Rye kept her eyes on him while he moved before going for the door. Before we could follow, she paused and said, "Oh and Jason? Lose the attitude. You're a dominant; act like it."

I saw the guilty glance at Ash before he bowed again.

He stayed that way as I passed him followed by my brother.

Ryell ordered another enforcer to show her to the kid. A few turns later and we were standing in front of a surprisingly full cell. There was someone struggling on the floor under a few hundred pounds of werewolf and a doctor trying to inspect the wounds.

"Keep him still," the doctor ordered.

One of the enforcers growled. "We're trying, doc."

"Doctor Frank?" Rye asked.

The doc looked over his shoulder. His look of irritation melted into relief. "Thank God. I need more help in here."

One of the outside guards produced a key and opened the cell. The three of us slipped inside quickly.

"Talk to me, doc," Rye said as we all knelt down and tried to hold the kid down. He was thrashing around, growling and snapping, his eyes flashing amber.

He was shirtless, skin was pale and waxy, slicked with sweat. The wounds were torn open and bleeding.

I grabbed his thigh and shin, putting all my weight down. "Why isn't he healing?"

"He's fighting it," the doc said. "If I can get the damn needle in a vein, I can sedate him. Out cold, he can't fight."

"What'll happen if he doesn't stop?" Ash asked.

"He'll die," Rye said grimly.

She and I exchanged a look. She didn't like the idea of him dying.

"Ash, get over here and help me hold this arm down," I said. "The rest of you, stay on the other side of his body and hold him still."

Shockingly, nobody argued with the order. They just did as I said. The enforcers and Ryell formed a line down the right side of his body, Ryell holding his head. Ash held his left shoulder and biceps. I held his wrist and just under his elbow.

"Hurry up, doc," I said through gritted teeth.

"Come on, Casey," Ash whispered. "Don't give out on us now."

Moving around me, the doctor got the needle in enough to pump the medicine into his arm.

It took only a few moments for it to kick in. Limb by limb, the tension left him. Those amber eyes fluttered to a close, and he passed out.

Everyone still conscious sighed in relief.

The doctor clapped my shoulder. "Thanks."

I dipped my head in a nod but said, "It took all of us." I looked down at him. "Now what?"

We all stood up but looked down. Casey was still, breathing deeply.

Frank the doctor sighed and put his hands in his pockets. "We wait. The infection will sink in now that he's not fighting."

For a moment, we all just stared down at him.

"What if…" Ash started. "What if he didn't want this?" he finished softly. "What if that's why he was fighting it?"

We all played hot potato with a glance.

Rye looked at me before looking back to Casey. "Too bad," she said a bit coldly. "We need to know what happened. And I was not going to let him die. If, when he wakes up, he doesn't want to be in the pack, that's fine. But he has to learn control before he can be allowed out on his own. The packs will have to watch him."

I nodded. "Agreed."

Ash watched us, a slight frown on his face. He looked troubled, but said, "If you'll excuse me, I need to call Cole. He'll want to know that Casey's okay."

With that, he turned and left when a guard opened the cell.

Ryell moved over to me, watching Ash leave. "Everything okay?" she asked.

"He's just…stressed."

"If you say so," she said, taking my word for it. She tugged on my arm. "Come on. I need to have a talk with Jason and my dad."

I motioned her ahead of me. "Again, agreed."

 **AshPOV**

I was pulling my phone out of the pocket of the basketball shorts. Something about the way Ryell had looked down at Casey had bothered me. And the way Dox had agreed with what she'd said…made me think things were changing. Dox had told me what he and Walker had talked about, and now I could see it. Ryell was a hybrid who identified more with her Child side, just like Piper did. And like Piper, there was something…wild…about Ryell. Wilder than Walker or any of the others. Except maybe Jason.

I frowned. In fact, all the newer generation on the compound seemed to be wilder than the older wolves. I guess recent situations were just now putting it into focus.

Putting the thought on the backburner, I pushed out the door to come face to face with Jason.

Stopping short, I hung up the call before it could even start ringing.

Jason didn't hesitate. "I'm sorry about earlier. At the school."

I stared up at him. Over the years, Jason had become a pretty big guy. "I don't think it's me you need to apologize to, Jason. Casey means a lot to Cole. All those kids do, and you treated him like he didn't matter." Turning toward him, I glared and got angry. "Cole is determined to become a member of this pack and I bet you made him feel insignificant by telling him he shouldn't become pack."

Jason opened his mouth, but I powered on because I was angry and needed to take it out of someone.

"Who the hell are you to tell him what's best for him? What do you think he's going to do, attack Walker? Try to take over?"

Backing up, Jason held his hands up. "Ash, I didn't mean…Ryell was right. I lost my temper and said things I didn't mean."

"Then maybe you should tell him that, Jason. Cole loves this pack; he loves Walker. We are his family now and to hear a pack member that he respects basically tell him to get lost is the worst sort of way to wound him."

With that, I pushed around him and redialed Cole.

"Hey, is everything okay?" he asked a bit frantically.

I cleared my throat and realized that Jason wasn't the only one who needed to apologize. "Ah, yeah. We got him sedated. Doc says he'll be fine."

He sighed in relief. "Thank God. Are _you_ okay? You sound off."

"Cole, I'm sorry. About losing my cool over the new guy."

"Hey, don't even worry about that. Forgiven, forgotten."

Looking down, I toed the dirt. "Did you hire him?"

"Yeah, I did. Just a test run for now, though."

That same anger I'd felt earlier rushed back through me but I gritted my teeth to hold back the remarks.

But Cole noticed. "Ash? Babe, please don't be jealous. I literally met him today when you did. There's nothing there, and never will be. I'm all yours. Okay? Ash?"

I cleared my throat again and pinched the bridge of my nose. "Yeah, I hear you. Really. I'll see you at home, okay?"

He hesitated. "Sure. I was just packing up."

"Alright, bye."

And I hung up before flinging myself toward the woods.

 **RyellPOV**

As soon as I busted out the door, Jason went into a bow. Dox stopped just behind me.

I gritted my teeth. "Get up, Jason. We need to have a talk."

He straightened up. "Rye-,"

"Don't," I growled. "Does my father know about this?" I demanded, motioning behind me.

Jason wouldn't meet my eyes when he shook his head. "My main concern was the kid and getting him under control."

I frowned. "Soooo, you couldn't have called with a heads up in the car on the way here?" When he didn't answer, I went on. "Look, I am this close to taking over this pack. I'm not asking you to switch loyalties from my dad to me, but when something like this goes down, you need to let one of us know so we can be there. The only reason Dox and I were in that cell was because Ash came by. As it is, Dad would be pissed if he learned that you didn't call one of us. However, as long as things are clear between us right here and now, I'll have no reason to tell him. Your choice, Jason."

He dipped his head in a nod. "We're clear. This won't happen again."

"Good. Now, just one more thing."

He gave me an expectant look.

I pointed my finger in his face. "Get your act together, Jason. You've never shown aggression at a full moon since I've known you. And taking that aggression out on family is unacceptable. Cole is family whether he's a wolf or not, and I will not have you mistreating our family. Do you understand me?"

He swallowed hard and nodded again. "I plan on making a full and sincere apology."

"Good. Now let's go find my dad and you can tell him what happened."

 **ColePOV**

Hours later, I was leaning against the kitchen counter facing the side door. A copy of the most recent ultrasound photo was in my palm when the door opened.

The house was dark, the way I left it after Victoria went to bed and I'd gotten off the phone with an apologetic Jason, so Ash came into a dark house while I watched him.

He closed the door quietly, almost as if he were sneaking in and didn't realize I was standing there. So I waited.

The door closed and he took off his shoes. He was almost to me when he froze.

"Seems like we need to have a talk," I said as emotionlessly as I could.

His shoulders eased a bit as though he realized I wasn't an intruder. "Cole, I-,"

"You didn't say 'I love you'."

He hesitated. "What?"

I put the photo on the counter and crossed my arms over my chest. "That's how I knew you were lying when you told me you were okay and understood. You just hung up without saying those three words that we've been ending phone calls with for years."

Ash came forward, stepping into the ambient glow of night light we had plugged into the kitchen beside the sink. "Cole, please-,"

"No," I said forcefully, glaring at him. "No. You've been spouting this shit about wanting me to be dominant and lead us in certain situations. Now you are going to shut up and listen to me. And I mean really listen, you asshole, because I am not going to say this again. I am yours. And you are mine. Whenever you get jealous or have your doubts, I want you to repeat that to yourself: Cole is mine, and I am Cole's. For the love of God, Ash, I will never cheat on you, never betray you. There will never be another man in my life, on my mind, or in my heart." Reaching back, I grabbed the photo and held it up so he could see it. "This. This is our future. This is our son. Would I really be planning on this kind of future with you if I was going to bail? No. So stop." I shoved the picture onto his bare chest, shoving him. "Stop this- whatever- pouting or pity crap you've got going on. Stop being so self-conscious and scared to be with me. We've been a couple for nearly _four years_."

Ash put his hand up over mine, holding me to him. "So what do you want from me?"

Pushing him back until he hit the other counter, I stepped in close. "What I want is for you to stop doubting me."

"I don't doubt you."

My eyebrows went up. "Oh, yeah? Then why were you so jealous today?"

In frustration, Ash ripped the photo away and slammed it down on the counter. "I don't know, okay? He was attractive and had all his attention on you. It pissed me off. And then you just brushed it off, let him in."

"I didn't _let_ him in, Ash. We'd set up an interview and I didn't want to scare him off. I was just trying to keep things civil. If you would have gone too far off the edge, you could have phased. Zack doesn't know about the packs or anything supernatural, and I'm not entirely sure we want an outsider to know until we figure out if we can trust him. That's why I didn't come after you. I was willing to have you mad at me than him get suspicious. If you seemed like a jealous boyfriend then that would be that. But if you got too angry…I'm trying to protect you." Gripping his jaw, I forced him to look at me. "I love _you_. You are all there will ever be."

He swallowed hard, his eyes shiny. "I'm sorry," he whispered.

"Stop being sorry. I'm tired of hearing it." Sighing, I moved away. "Ash, what is going on with you lately? You've been so…unsure…of yourself. Of us. Of everything. What are you so afraid of?"

He wouldn't look at me. "I…I'm scared of everything falling apart."

"What do you mean?"

"I'm the son of the Alpha, firmly planted in the Quileute lineage. Dox is my brother and he will be leading two packs. None of this small-time stuff, Cole. Nothing small like Dad had or Walker. Our roles as leaders are magnified, and being gay in one of those roles terrifies me."

I shook my head. "No, it doesn't."

Now he frowned. "What?"

"You're scared to have a family," I countered. "You're scared that the supernatural veil will be split and the rest of the world will find out about our slice of territory. When that happens, you're scared the people you care about will be hurt. You're willing to fight with me because if I get turned, I can handle myself just as well as you can. Even before Walker spouted his stuff to Dox, you've known, even if it was subconsciously, that our lives could be changing sooner than we all thought. And _that's_ what terrifies you. You're pushing away from me because I know you damn well know how to initiate intimacy. All you have to do is give me a look and I'll know what you want. Instead you've been acting skittish. I know better, Ash. I know you better than almost anyone. I'm pretty sure only Dox and your mother know you better than I do. Stop this submissive crap. Stop acting _weak_."

There was a moment of pure silence.

And then the growl started, vibrating out of Ash's mouth.

He looked up from under his brows, his lips twitching off his teeth.

"That's right," I taunted. "I called you weak because that's how you're acting. Like a pathetic little teenager."

The growl got louder.

"Where is that strong silent kid I met? The one I fell in love with. The one who knew exactly what he wanted from me? _With_ me? The kid who was sure of himself?"

Ash's voice, when it came, rolled with the growl. "I'm right here."

"Are you?" I let out a choking laugh. "Because if this person I've been sleeping beside the past few months is supposed to be that kid, then you have some stepping up to do."

The growling stopped but Ash lifted his head. There was a look in his eyes, one of consideration. He was studying me, thinking about calling my bluff. But we both knew he couldn't.

He leaned in, his face still thinned in aggression. "I'm going to take a shower," he said low, in a sort of cautionary threat. "I expect you to be in the bed when I come out of the bathroom. You're going to have a busy day tomorrow training the new coach."

Without another word, he brushed past me and strode to our bedroom.

I should have felt proud of myself for pushing him, but I leaned back and felt nervous. Ash had never been human. If I pushed too hard, he could react like a cornered animal: all teeth and claws.

All I knew in this moment was that I'd better be at least in the bedroom by the time he opened the bathroom door.

* * *

 **I've somewhat been agreeing with you guys on Ash being eh. So we're gonna toughen him back up. Or at least Cole will. Hopefully the story will start rolling a bit faster now. Some big things are gonna happen soon, mainly with Ash and Cole. But don't worry, Dox and Ryell will get their spotlight. I promise! Now, please leave me reviews. I love them so much just as much as I love you! xoxoxoxo**


	17. Chapter 17

**Hey guys! Yes, I am alive. Yes, I am going to finish writing this story. No, it won't be regular updates. From now until next spring, I will be incredibly busy in work and finishing up school. But I will try to update whenever I can. I know I promised weekly updates but that's just unrealistic for my schedule right now, especially since I'm also mulling over ideas for books. But I promise to try to write whenever I get the chance.**

 **Okay, so this chapter... WARNING: ASH AND COLE SEAL THE DEAL! If you can't handle sex between two guys, DO NOT read Ash's POV at the end. Also, if any of my readers are gay men, I apologize for any wrongs that I committed in writing that scene. I will always accept advice.**

 **Now! One last thing...I have a school assignment for professional editing. If anybody would like to have their work edited (fanfiction or otherwise) please let me know. It's a pretty big grade and I'm trying to find someone to let me edit up to 80 pages of their work. Message me for more details if interested. Serious inquiries only please!**

 **Alright, alright! On with the show!**

* * *

 **JacobPOV**

"How is this possible?"

Walker sat back in his office chair, rubbing his face with his hands. "I don't know. I made it clear and had agreements from every pack in the States. Seattle was off limits, a safe zone. If wolves had to be there, it was neutral territory."

"So, it could have been a random act, right?" Ness asked from her chair in front of the desk.

Walker contemplated before turning the chair to look at Jason. "What do you think?"

Jason looked at Piper before Walker. "Honestly, like I told Ash and Cole earlier, it's not my job to assume this was an accident. And it doesn't feel that way. Why would a wolf go against any arrangements that could get him a death sentence?"

"Could be an omega," Ash chimed in.

Jason shook his head. "Could be, but…why haven't we heard of any other attacks there? The Cullens monitor the news and tell us about suspicious incidences. What are the odds that the one attack that happens is on someone who lives here in Forks? How many of our people, and I'm not talking about just wolves, have been to Seattle recently? None. Most of the stuff we need, we can get in Port Angeles. I don't like those odds, Walker."

"He's right," Edward said. "There are thousands of people in Seattle." He turned to Ash. "Is Casey typically aggressive?"

My son shook his head. "Not that I know of. He's not one that Cole is worried about."

I was catching Edward's point. I nodded. "If that's the case, the kid didn't go looking for a fight. The fight found him. Which means the attack was intentional. The wolf knew what he was doing."

Edward nodded but said, "Maybe. It might be long odds but it's still possible that it was a coincidence the fight happened with one of our people." Then he frowned. "Unless…,"

"What?" I asked.

"The boy is Quileute and just a teenager." He looked at Ash. "Is there any chance he could have wolf genetics?"

Surprise flew across Ash's face before his brows cranked down in thought. He shook his head. "I have no idea. But he hasn't been acting the way any of us did right before we phased. He was a good kid. No temper tantrums. But I'll ask Cole, maybe talk to his parents."

"But what do we do? It doesn't matter whether or not he's Quileute wolf. He was still attacked in a no-attack zone," Bella said.

"There's nothing we _can_ do right now," Jasper injected. "Not from a strategic stand point. There's only been the one attack, the one wolf. As you said, Edward, there are thousands in Seattle." He shook his head. "There's no way we can find one wolf in enough time to make it count. And we don't really know that this was intentional."

"Are you saying we need to wait for a pattern? For some other person of ours to get attacked?" Bella asked. She was staring at her brother-in-law like he was speaking tongues.

Jasper and Edward exchanged a look.

Edward nodded.

"I'm saying," Jasper answered, "that we can make our rounds on Seattle, see if we can find the wolf or other wolves." He looked at me. "Looks like we need to sound the alarm and set heavier patrols again, just in case."

"Piper and Jason are supposed to be getting mated when Jules and Bray get back," Shelby said.

Piper said, "Mom, don't worry-,"

But Shelby went on. "And then the announcement of Ryell and Dox with the party. Why is it that every time we have something big going down, a threat comes into play?"

"Shelby," Ness said, "we get through any threat. But right now, we need to make plans in security. With all the representatives coming from our ally packs, we need to be expecting problems, not only from outside, but from within. Just because they're all allied to us does not mean that they're allied to each other. And that means we need more muscle."

"I'll call Garrett," Walker said.

"I'll do it," Ryell said. She held up her phone. "Gotta learn to negotiate with my brother-in-law some time."

"You really think it'll be a negotiation?" Christa asked.

Ryell nodded. "When he and Haleigh come up, they'll have personal guards for them and whoever they bring. But their pack is large, so they'll want to leave as many enforcers down there as they can, especially when Garrett finds out that there might be rogue wolves over here."

She and Walker locked gazes, father studying daughter. He was weighing his trust in her as leader with the task at hand.

After a moment, Walker nodded. Rye nodded back. It was the same look of perfect understanding that Jules and I tended to have.

The thought made me miss my daughter something terrible, but I knew she'd be home in just a couple days.

There was a grip on my hand that made me look down. Ness was smiling like she knew where my mind was.

I gripped her hand back.

"Jacob," Walker said as Ryell excused herself from the room.

Dox watched her go and fidgeted like he wanted to follow, but he stayed put. His gaze met mine and I nodded in approval. It was always good to let the women have their freedom from us men.

I looked at Walker. "What's up?"

The man sat back, twisting his letter opener on top of the desk. "I know that this situation is more my problem than yours, but I could really use the backup in the coming weeks with all the emissaries."

Shaking my head, I said, "Don't even have to ask, Walker. Whatever you need. The boys will be here so you can confer with them. I've gotta start handing over the mantle sometime."

Dox and Ash both looked over at me and I winked.

Walker nodded. "Good deal. What about Will?"

Ness and I shared a look. She shrugged.

"Will is a permanent Alpha presence on the rez," Ash said. "Honestly, I think it's a good idea to have the two eldest of Jacob Black's kids down there to help keep things calm. Dox and I can handle things here with you and Ryell and Garrett. I don't like being separated from my siblings, but I believe it's the best distribution of power. Especially with Hunter and Bray there representing the Children with Caden."

Dox nodded. "I agree."

Caden nodded. "As do I."

"But Jules will want to be up here helping Piper and Rye with the mating stuff," Ness said. "More than likely she'll want to stay here during all of this. And to be honest, Ryell is going to need the support of her alpha female friends."

"Then Will and I will take care of the rez," Caden said. "Whatever we can do to help support Walker's pack is what's more important right now. Ryell needs strength, then that's what she'll get."

"Thank you," Christa said. "I really hate this for her." She looked at Dox. "And for you. I know you both wanted something different for your mating."

My son shook his head. "Don't be sorry. No matter how it happened, it still would have been happening this way. Ryell is the daughter of a powerful alpha true mate couple and a powerful alpha in her own right. We would have still ended up where we are on that front. But I agree she needs all the strength she can get from her friends."

"What about you?" Christa asked.

Dox smiled a little. "I have my own support in my siblings and friends. Besides, I'm focused on Ryell. She is my priority above myself."

In this moment, I had never been prouder of him. I was always proud of my children, but to hear how selfless they were always boosted that pride.

Walker nodded. "Then I guess it's settled for now. The Cullens will keep an eye on Seattle for any other attacks. We'll take care of Casey." He looked at Ash. "Cole is welcome to see him whenever he wishes. No doubt Casey will want a familiar face."

Ash nodded. "I'll let him know. Thank you."

"Plans will go on," Walker continued. "If we stall, our allies will get anxious and we don't want that. We want them to know that we're solid in Ryell and Dox's mating as well as her inheriting the pack."

"How long after the party will the mating happen?" Dox asked.

Walker debated this. And while he did, he took Christa's hand to pull her behind him. She wrapped her arms around his neck, resting her hands on his chest and her chin on his head. He kissed her wrist.

He pulled away just enough to look up at his mate. She gave a small smile and nodded.

"I think," he said, "that we'll leave that up to the two of you."

A shocked silence went through the room.

Ness and I exchanged looks.

"What?" Dox asked just as dumbfounded.

Before answering, Walker looked around. "I'd like some privacy with Dox and his parents, please."

After a moment of puzzled looks, everybody left, including Christa.

When the door finally closed, Walker stood up to walk around and sit on the front of his desk. "It's true that our allies will either come themselves or send emissaries to the mating; there's nothing we can do about that. But you and Ryell are more precious to me than any show of political maneuvering. I've thought a lot about what Ryell said about this issue and she was right. I refuse to parade you both around on a sacred day like that. The party is one thing because it's your coming out as both a couple and future leaders of this pack; it's supposed to be a show. But the ceremony will not be. There will be no groups invited. One or two from each ally pack will be allowed. No more. And it will be you and Ryell to choose when, although I would prefer it not be years from now. Two years tops. Is that enough time?"

Dox stared at his future father-in-law, his mouth hanging open a bit.

I cleared my throat.

Dox closed his mouth and shook his head. "Absolutely. Thank you, Walker. Thank you so much. That means more to me than I thought it would, so I know it'll mean the world to her."

Walker put his hand on Dox's neck. "I don't want you or Ryell or anyone to ever think that allies and politics are more important to me than my family. And that's exactly what everyone here has become. Your father is like a brother to me, your mother a sister. And you? You've gotten my own blooded son to open up to you and let you help him. From the moment you imprinted on my daughter, you became my son. And I couldn't be prouder to have a son like you. Do you hear me?"

When Dox nodded, Walker pulled him in and they embraced hard.

Beside me, Ness sniffled and laid her head on my shoulder, threading her fingers through mine.

 **RyellPOV**

I had to shore up a little courage through deep breathing before I hit dial on my brother-in-law. Garrett and I weren't actually that close because I didn't agree with how he ran his pack or how he treated Haleigh. But none of that was any of my business as long as he didn't cause problems for us. Didn't mean I couldn't hate it, though.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Garrett."

There was a pause. "I saw your name on my screen and I thought it must be a pocket dial."

See? Not close.

I forced a little laugh. "Unfortunately, no."

"Unfortunately," he repeated. "That doesn't bode well. Is everything okay? I just got off the phone with your dad a little bit ago."

Steeling myself, I leaned my butt against the wall and closed my eyes. "Actually, this is me calling for a favor. From one pack leader to another, ally to ally."

The silence on the other end was full of surprise.

Then, "Give me just a second." There was the sound of movement and then him talking to someone else with the phone away from his mouth. My bet was Haleigh because he was reassuring whoever it was that everything was alright.

A door closed.

Then he was back on the line. "Ryell?"

"I'm here."

I heard the breath he took before sighing it out. "My alliance is with Walker, not with you as you haven't ascended the throne yet. So you're not pack leader yet nor are we allies in formal terms."

"Alright. Then a favor between a future pack leader and her actual pack leader brother-in-law."

"How about a request from one family member to another? You are my mate's sister. Now talk to me. What do you need?"

I took my own deep breath. "I take it my father talked to you about everything that's going to be happening over the next few months?"

"If you mean after his head enforcer's mating, then yes, we've spoken about it. Haleigh and I were his first invitation to the party. Congratulations, by the way."

The smile was real as I thought about Dox. "Thanks. It's all a little surreal right now."

"Well the fact that it's progressing this much with sure footing is a good sign that it's meant to be. But I'm curious as to this favor and its connection to the party."

This was it, the negotiations. "I'm aware that you plan on bringing enforcers for you and Haleigh, and that you're leaving your second in charge while you're away. But I was wondering if there was any way you could bring extra backup."

He was quiet for a moment, and I could hear him thinking as something groaned in the background. Probably a chair.

"You mean, take more enforcers away from my vulnerable pack? Why would I do that? Something's happened, hasn't it?"

"One of our residents was attacked in Seattle, in neutral territory. And we think it was intentional. Which means a threat, Garrett."

The groan came again. "So another reason _not_ to take more enforcers away from my pack while I'm gone."

Irritation bubbled up but I beat it down and tried to think. "Do you really trust your second so little?"

Quiet again. "I trust him. But why are you requesting that I bring more?"

"Think about it. With this party, there will be a lot of important and influential people there. We're allies with over half of the packs in this country and all of them are sending people or coming themselves. So I ask for two reasons. One, this unseen threat in Seattle. And two, just because our allies are nice to us doesn't mean that they're peaceful with each other. We have a lot of enforcers, but it would be nice to have more. Not all of our people are fighters; you know that. The threat from Seattle is too close to us. I doubt they'd head as far south as your pack. And I'm requesting from you because I trust you and your people to be wholly on our side. Please, whatever you can spare."

After my speech, I waited.

And waited.

He thought long and hard about his decision so I zoned out, staring at a blank piece of wall.

The door to Dad's office opened and bodies filed out. All except Dox and his parents.

"Ryell," he started making me jump and my stomach drop at the same time. "I regret that you and I aren't as close as we used to be when you were younger. And I can understand why. You and I differ on how we run our packs as well as how we treat our mates. But you were right when you offered the favor between pack leaders. Who knows when Walker will step aside and leave the position to you, so it's time that you and I reach a level of agreement. And seeing as how I hope for us to be allies, I can offer twenty, maybe thirty, more bodies to help out. But that's all. I've got a new group that's in training but they aren't ready to be left on their own. Will that be sufficient?"

Holding the phone away from my mouth, I let out a slow but deep and relieved breath. "That would be great. Thank you, Garrett."

"You are my sister-in-law. I have known you since you were born, and, despite our differences, I do care about what happens to you, Ryell. We are family, and I hope to remain in good graces with you."

"Thank you. I feel the same about you. Haleigh means the world the to me and as long as she's happy, truly happy, I won't put my nose where it doesn't belong. As long as we can agree to disagree."

"Agreed. Your father and I have the same understanding."

"Great. I'll have him call you when we're finished with the meeting. Thanks again, Garrett."

"You're welcome."

We hung up and I felt the heaviness lifted off my chest. My gut quit writhing in nerves, too.

Before I went back into the office, I took a moment to compose myself, hiding the self-doubt that I hated being seen.

But as soon as I walked through the door, my composure leaked.

Dad and Dox were hugging it out big time. Uncle Jake and Aunt Ness were watching teary-eyed and proud from the sidelines.

Quickly, I closed the door behind me, figuring out that this was meant to be private. When the door clicked, my two men broke apart and everybody looked my way.

"Soooo, I take it I missed something?" I said.

Dox grinned. "Something good actually."

My brows went up. "Oh?"

Dad smiled and nodded.

"Yeah," Dox said, coming toward me. His hands came up to rub my arms. "We get to plan our mating, have it when and how we want."

My mouth dropped open. "What?"

Dad, Jake, and Nessie joined us.

Dad put his hands in his pockets and rocked onto the balls of his feet. "I've decided that whenever you plan for the ceremony, I'm only going to allow up to two visitors per pack to attend as witnesses. No parading you, no spectacle. If they don't like it, then that's too bad on them."

Tears blurred my vision. "Really?"

Dad nodded. "Really. When you came to talk to me about it, I hadn't stopped to consider what your mating would mean to you. I had forgotten what my own had meant to me as well as my wedding ceremony no matter how small it was. My mind was in pack leader mode when I should have been thinking as a father." He reached out to cup my face. "And I am so sorry for that."

The talk he was referring to had happened after Dox and I had slept together for the first time when Dox had had his little talk with Dad. I'd been so upset that I'd gone to talk to Dad about using my mating for political gain. But all he'd said was that it was a necessary evil in our lives.

"Thank you," I choked out, wrapping my arms around him.

He hugged me tight and kissed my hair. When he pulled back, he pushed me toward Dox. "Now go on. You two have a lot to talk about."

Dox took my hand to start pulling me toward the door.

Laughing, I turned and rushed out with him.

When the door closed behind us, I threw myself into his arms with a massive grin. Dox held me against his chest and stared up at me.

"What did you say to him?" I asked.

He shook his head. "Nothing. He just told me that he'd made the decision. I was going to ask you the same thing."

I went for a kiss as he let me slide down his body onto my feet. "After the little conversation the two of you had when we did our thing, I came to beg him to change his mind about making this a big deal, but he didn't budge then. I didn't think he would at all."

Dox grinned and cupped my face, brushing my hair back. "Well, it looks like he thought about it, whatever you said."

I put my palm to his glowing face. "I didn't know you cared that much about it to be honest."

He shrugged. "I didn't, either," he said, leaning into my touch. "But it meant so much to you that I couldn't not care."

The grin just wouldn't die down as I stared up at Dox. He'd promised me that everything would work out and be okay, that our mating would be special. And my man hadn't let me down. Even though he hadn't been the one to convince Dad, Dox's optimism had won out. I didn't even care about the visitors because most of the ally packs would choose not to send anybody if only one or two were allowed. They'd see it as a waste of time, money, and resources.

In Dox's arms, I let out a little squeal, went up on tiptoe to kiss him, and then went to dart around him.

Laughing, he gripped my hand, pulling me to a stop. "Where are you going?"

"I have so much to do!" I said excitedly.

Dox laughed again, pulling me to him. "Babe, we have a two-year time limit. It doesn't have to be done right this minute."

Playfully, I glowered at him. "If you think for even one second that I am going to wait two years to mate you, you have lost your damn mind."

He chuckled but said, "Alright, alright. Where are you going?"

I tugged on my hand. "I have things to start planning."

Dox held firm, his expression slipping to serious. "That's not what I asked, Rye."

My own expression faltered.

Seeing it, he pulled me toward him once more. "I'm not trying to ruin the mood," he said softly. "I just want to know where you'll be."

"Why?" I asked bitterly. "Scared I'll cheat?" It was a low blow and petty, but I was getting ticked off.

He cupped my cheek but growled a little. "You know that's not it. We could have an enemy in or around Forks, in the woods. Whoever attacked that kid in Seattle may not have stayed in Seattle. I just want to make sure that if you leave the compound, you'll be safe."

Instantly, the attitude cooled. Love and excitement replacing it once more. I gripped his wrist, rubbing over his pulse with my thumb. "I'm not leaving the compound. I was going to go see my cousins. We need to bond and this is a good start. You'll be the first to know if we decided to go anywhere, okay?"

Leaning in, he brushed his lips against mine. "Thank you. I know I can get intense, and I'm sorry."

"I know," I said softly. "It's your nature. Out of you and your siblings, you're the most aggressive, and I get it. You're unknowingly being what I need you to be." I moved my hands to his muscled chest, rubbing my palms over his torso. "I actually really love it when you get all he-man on me."

Now his smirk was self-satisfied. His heavy arms wrapped around me, those hands resting on my ass. "You like to fight with me, get aggressive back."

"Bet your fine ass, I do. It's called passion, and the moment we stop fighting like that is probably the moment we go our separate ways."

That sexy growl was back as he tightened his hold on me. "Then never. I won't ever stop fighting with you." He leaned in for another kiss. "But go have fun. I'll deal with any pack related stuff."

I smiled against his mouth. "You're the best."

He nodded in agreement. "You're not wrong. I'll collect payment later."

Then he spun me around and pushed me toward the stairs.

Feeling better than I had in days, I skipped down to the front door and booked it across the compound.

 **AshPOV**

I was still standing out on the porch of Walker's house when the door flew open and Ryell came dashing out like the house was on fire. Panic started to flare before I saw her expression. She was grinning like a maniac as she jumped over the railing and ran across the square.

I was still frowning after her when Dox stepped out onto the porch beside me.

"Everything okay?" I asked.

He chuckled. "Yeah. Walker is letting us have our freedom with our mating and she's only slightly excited."

"Ah. Only slightly, huh?"

My twin shoved his hands in his pockets, but he was staring out after his mate even though she'd already disappeared. "You're lucky, you know."

Brows shooting up, I looked over at him. "What makes you say that?"

Dox shrugged. "You don't have to worry about answering to Cole's parents, about stepping carefully."

"What do you mean?"

We turned toward each other as Dox thought about his answer. "It's just the two of you. I mean, yeah, Mom and Dad practically adopted Cole, but they've stayed out of your relationship, leaving the big decisions to the two of you. You're all he has to depend on. It's just the two of you answering to each other."

As his words sank in, I frowned. A heavy weight settled in my chest and my gut. I suddenly had the feeling that there was something I needed to go do, something to do with Cole.

"Hey," Dox said, grabbing my attention. He was staring worriedly at me. "You okay?"

Smirking, I knocked him on the shoulder. "I'm happy for you and Rye. Really. You guys deserve the best."

Then I moved around him and jumped from the porch with a burst of energy and newfound purpose.

"Hey!" Dox called this time. "Where are you going?"

I turned, walking backwards and holding my arms out. "You made me realize there's something I need to take care of!"

He grinned and waved me on. "Well you're welcome!"

Laughing, I turned forward and ran for home. Cole wasn't a teacher so he didn't have to be at the school until later in the afternoon. Right now, he'd be at home, drawing out plays and debating what to tell the team about Casey. The kid had spent the night in the cell. He'd freaked out when he'd woken up, thinking he was in jail for something he'd done during his black-out. But after he calmed down, they'd taken him to the infirmary to get checked out. Soon, Walker would go have "the talk" with him. Walker had given Cole the go ahead to talk to the team since he was closer to them.

When I got to turn-off to our dirt driveway, I was thankful that Victoria had gone to work, taking Mark and Nik with her. Before going inside, I took a minute to calm my breathing but not enough to think through what I was about to do. All I knew was that I needed Cole.

Inside, Cole had turned on a couple lamps but not all the lights, so parts of the house were encased in darkness. He was sitting at the dining room table, his head bent over his notebook, eyes occasionally darting to the screen of his laptop.

On a glance up, he noticed me standing in the kitchen. "Ash? Everything okay? How'd the meeting go?"

Swallowing my pulse, I went over to him and picked up whatever he'd been writing on. He sat back in his chair to watch me as I leaned my butt on the edge of the table.

"Precautionary," I answered, not really seeing what I was reading.

He nodded. "That's goo-,"

I threw the paper down and hurriedly gripped his face, pressing our mouths together. I kissed him as if I'd eat him from the mouth down, deep and complete.

At first, he hesitated. Then his hands came up to grip my biceps, and he widened his mouth to accept me, to give back.

Abruptly, I pulled back, chest heaving.

Cole was breathing heavy, too, his eyes unfocused. "What was-,"

"You were right," I panted.

Cole frowned, clearly trying to think through the haze of passion. "What?"

Reaching out, I took his hand, rubbing his fingers between mine. "I've been acting…wrong…for a while now." I shook my head and brought his fingers to my lips. "No more."

With that, I got up and went for the bedroom. In the closet, there was a blanket that we'd been saving for a certain occasion. After spreading that over the bed, I went to the bedside table to get the bottle out and lay it on the tabletop.

"Ash?" Cole asked as he walked down the hall to the room.

I moved to stand behind the bedroom door.

"Ash. What is going on…with…you?" His words slowed when he reached the doorway and saw what I had put out. Moving further into the room, he ran his fingertips over the blanket. "Ash?"

Stepping forward, I closed the door with a definitive click. Cole turned around. I stalked toward him until he backed up against the bed. His knees buckled, planting his ass on the mattress. "No more hesitating; no more waiting."

Straddling his thighs, I got to my knees on the mattress and sat on his lap. Not giving him the chance to speak, I went back to kissing him, hoping he'd get the hint that now was not the time to ask if I was sure. I was done being weak.

Cole wrapped his arms around me and tried to lean back, but I didn't let him. Instead I moved back until I was standing in front of him again. Those dark eyes watched me hungrily while he struggled to catch his breath. Smirking, I kicked off my shoes and took off my shirt. The jeans were the next to join the pile, and then I was standing naked in front of him.

The corners of Cole's lips twitched up as he reached for the hem of his shirt and slid it over his head to join my pile of clothes. Lifting his hand, he crooked his finger at me. Smiling, I sauntered toward him. When I was standing in front of him again, his hands reached out for me. One hand palmed my balls while the other gripped my cock, squeezing. At first, the shudder was from the touch, but it turned into more with the look in his eyes when he leaned forward. Cole's tongue slid over my skin. Just his tongue. He took time to lick me slowly, just a tease.

I tried to thrust but his hand tightened, stopping me.

With that grip still tight, Cole stood up, forcing me a step back. Then he completely stopped touching me to get the bottle from the table where I'd left it.

He held it up. "You didn't leave anything else on the table," he said, voice low.

I shook my head. "Don't need anything else."

Cole smiled a little and bobbed his head. "Get on the bed. On your stomach."

With anticipation tingling through my body, I did as he said. It was a normal enough position. I typically slept on my stomach but partially on top of Cole, so to fill the space, I hugged a pillow and watched him finish taking off his clothes. Grinning, he joined me on the bed, crawling to where I was lying in the middle of the mattress. On the way, he grabbed the bottle of lube again.

"You seem calm," he said.

I shrugged the best I could around the pillow. "What's there to be nervous about? We've done this a million times over the years with the toys. I think we're ready for the real thing."

Putting his hand on my back, Cole gently slid his fingers up and down my skin, over the spread of my shoulders. After a moment, he leaned over to kiss my shoulder blade. "I've missed this confidence."

Going up on my elbow, I looked over my shoulder, kissing the side of his head. "I know. And I'll explain the change, but after. I don't want to ruin this with talk."

Cole raised his head and I brushed my lips over his.

"I gotta love on you a little first," he whispered.

The kiss was deep but slow, all consuming.

Leaving me breathless, Cole climbed up onto the bed behind me, his hands roaming over my body. Fingers traced along the lines of my muscles and down my spine to my ass. His nails skimmed over the flesh to the backs of my thighs. Palming the backs of my knees, he spread my legs and positioned his body between them. The bed moved but I didn't look over to watch him. I wanted to feel him. I didn't want to think at all, so I just closed my eyes, hugged the pillow, and felt Cole's lips on my ass and thighs. His tongue drew a wet line on my inner thighs, moving slowly back and forth, ever closer to that piece of my body I wanted him to roll in his mouth.

My breathing was ragged as his hands kept up their circuit of my back, ass, and legs. And then his mouth closed around one testicle, sucking it softly into his mouth, tongue tasting. Wrapping his arms around my legs, he moved around again before his mouth was back on me. If my cock hadn't been trapped between my stomach and the mattress, it would have been jumping. As it was, I was hard as a rock and just wanted to be touched. It took all my willpower not to start thrusting against the bed. But I couldn't help squirming when Cole released my balls in favor of that strip of skin just behind them. Gently, oh so gently, he set teeth into that spot, making me writhe under him until he had to let go or risk hurting me.

When I finally got myself under control, I frowned.

Cole had completely pulled away from me; I couldn't feel him. Moving my legs, I found that he was kneeling between mine.

Then there was something cold and wet on my skin, slipping and sliding when his fingers came in to play.

Now my heart skipped a little at the anticipation and a little with nerves.

Something solid and wet slid up my spine as the bed moved. And then Cole's lips were at my ear.

"Are you ready?" he whispered.

I swallowed hard but nodded.

He didn't ask again before moving back.

His hands were warm and maneuvered expertly. The first touch of him was heavy and firm, wider than I'd had in our playing over the years. The slow, full penetration took my breath and made me plant my hands into the mattress to push up. But Cole was there first. His weight was a warm blanket over my back as his hands moved down my arms so that he could twine his fingers with mine. And with every movement he made, his erection pushed deeper inside me until I felt his hips pressing my ass. Cole flexed, pushing just a little deeper and my breath punched out.

There was a nip at my ear. "Okay?"

Because we were both still, I was fine. But that might be a different story if he started moving. So underneath my mate, I rotated my hips, testing how acclimated I was. Surprisingly, I found that there was little to no discomfort.

To answer him, I pushed my hips back and nodded at the same time. "Okay," I said hoarsely.

With our fingers still twined, he pushed his upper body up and started a slow slide in and out. I knew this move because this was what he did with the toys before growing rougher. He didn't want to hurt me.

Squeezing his fingers, I lifted my pelvis and started to move with him. It's how I let him know that I was ready for more.

And Cole stepped up his game. Enough so that the sounds of skin on skin started and became a constant.

"God," he hissed. "I always imagined how tight it would be, but it wasn't enough."

My whole body spasmed. I loved it when he talked like that.

Cole hissed again. "Oh, God."

His hands tightened around mine and his body started taking control. Those hips swung against me, my body moving with the force.

Unfortunately, I was getting close. Too much foreplay would do that to me. When my balls started to tighten so did everything else below the waist. Cole cursed when I tightened around him. He shoved himself deep and froze. I was pretty sure he hung his head because I could feel his breath on my shoulders, his hair brushing my neck.

"Fuck."

He wasn't coming, that much I knew. Orgasms were some form of violent for him; he wouldn't be so still against me.

I figured I was right when he abruptly pulled back and out.

His hand gripped my shoulder. "Roll over."

Without one drop of hesitation, I did as he asked. We moved around until his knees were planted into the bed under my legs, lifting my hips. Cole was breathing hard, his chest shining with sweat. His erection was still there, long and proud. Dark and swollen with use.

"Fuck, don't look at me like that," he ground out. "I'll come right now."

Gripping the back of his neck, I pulled him down. "Then get back inside me."

As we kissed like each other was food and we both were starving, he entered me. The angle was different but no less pleasurable, especially as his free hand gripped my cock and started stroking.

Instead of breaking the kiss to breathe or curse, I fed at him. Tongues and teeth clashing.

A sharp tanginess hit my tongue. I knew it wasn't my blood because I was suddenly ravenous for more of that taste, for more of my mate. I knew that my three siblings drank from their mates, but I'd never brought it up with Cole because he was human. I didn't want to risk hurting him. All this time, there were so many things I hadn't done with him because of that fear.

Now, I broke the kiss so that I could nuzzle his throat. "I want to drink you," I whispered.

Cole paused, but his hips kept moving as if they were on autopilot and he couldn't bring himself to completely stop. With slow thrusts, he pulled back to look down at me.

Cupping his face, I stroked my thumbs under his eyes. "You can say no."

His eyes darted from mine to my lips. His throat worked as he swallowed. "I guess it's a day for firsts," he said, and tilted his head to bare his neck in a long smooth line.

A growl vibrated up my throat while Cole shivered, his body still moving in and out of mine.

Instead of just biting and sucking, I worked up to it. Nipping, sucking, and licking his shoulder, over his collarbone, and finally up his throat. His head was actually bent back too far, the flesh of his neck too taut. So I put my hand in his hair and pulled his head forward. I sucked as much of him as I could, getting a good feel for it before slowly sinking my teeth in.

Cole groaned, the sound vibrating in his throat. His body bucked and that was it for him. The control slipped and it became hard, fast thrusts, his hand gripped tight on my cock. The pad of his thumb rubbed over the head of me.

His blood tasted like the best food I'd ever had, like a perfectly cooked steak but at the same time the most decadent dessert. Needing more of him, I wrapped myself around him until we were touching from my mouth all the way to where he was buried inside me, his blood spilling into my mouth and sliding down my throat. It was my turn to groan as I sucked more from the bite. I'd intentionally bitten around the big vein because he wouldn't have healed fast, so I had to work for my food while he worked our bodies to orgasm.

He cursed again, his body jerking so violently that the movement was nearly painful for me. It rode that line between pleasure and pain. But that one movement let me know that he was close. And because of that, so was I. His hand sped up on my cock, stroking and tugging with desperation, like he was doing himself at the same time. Which, in a way, he was. The rhythm of his hips matched the strokes of his fist. He was desperate to orgasm.

"Ash," he groaned.

With my name on his lips, my body tightened, tingled, and shivered.

Cole let out a shout, two more powerful thrusts, and began to orgasm.

I let go of his throat so that he could move, which he did. He strained, jaw clenched above me.

Seeing him in the throes of passion was my undoing. Reaching between us, I gripped his hand where it was still attached to my erection, held him still, and thrust into our fists. My orgasm was immediate as our bodies locked in a writhing loop. Cole's chest and stomach were covered in my come as well as our hands.

I let out a hoarse shout.

When I was done, I pulled our hands away and out so that he could collapse on top of me, his slick skin sliding on mine. We were both breathing hard as he grew soft inside me. Eventually, he pulled his hips back and straightened out his legs so that my ass met the mattress again. His big body was sprawled on top of me. What I could see of him was covered in sweat.

For a while, we just lay there, catching our breath and touching each other, stroking.

After a good ten minutes, Cole slid to the side. His eyes were heavy-lidded, but his pulse was still jumping in his neck.

"Wow," he breathed. Wrapping his arms around me, he pulled me against his body.

I chuckled. "Yeah. Wow." Leaning in, I kissed his forehead. "You've got a while before you have to be at the school. Let's sleep."

Closing his eyes, he nodded but frowned. "Wait. You wanted to talk."

A yawn forced my mouth wide, cracking my jaw. "It can wait."

But the frown stayed. I could tell he struggled to open his eyes.

"Just sleep, Cole. We just blew off a lot of stress."

Even though his eyes were closed, he smiled.

I rolled onto my back, bringing him with me. This wasn't how we normally slept but I really wanted to hold him right now, in this moment. I was tired, too, but my blood was buzzing from the feeding. It took a moment of feeling around, but I was able to check that the wound had indeed stopped bleeding. It wasn't deep. Good.

Securing my mate on my chest, I buried my face in his hair and fell into a sleep to rival the dead.

* * *

 **So how bad was it? I swear writing is not like riding a bike. I feel a little rusty. I actually had to reread this story to remember where I was going with it. But I will love you no matter how bad your review. I promise! Love y'all! xoxoxox**


	18. Chapter 18

**Hey, guys! I know I've been away for a very long time. I've lost some luster because I keep getting told that people don't like this story and it makes me not want to update. But I can't leave something like this unfinished, so yes I am going to finish the story. I can't promise a sequel series, though, even though I am setting up for a possible follow-up. However, I will still be posting, but I don't know how frequently. Just, please hang in there with me.**

 **This chapter gets a bit interesting and is basically a setup just in case I get in the mood to write more with the kids.**

 **Now, enough talk!**

 **Please Enjoy!**

* * *

 **A few days later…**

 **RenesmeePOV**

"Mom?" Jules asked. "Aren't you going to take us to our house?"

I glanced up in the rearview mirror to give my daughter a withering look. "You've been gone a week, Jules. It's called a family dinner so you can show us pictures and tell us how the trip went."

"Exactly," Shelby said from the passenger seat.

"So how was it?" Piper chimed in. She was sitting all the way in the back behind Bray and Jules, her arms folded over the back of their seat and her chin resting on them. "I bet the beach was beautiful. I mean, I know we have one, but ours is murky."

Bray laughed while Jules pulled out her phone. "It was really awesome," Bray said. "We had a blast and met some really cool people."

Both of them had come back with much darker tans. The frost marks on Jules were even brighter against that darkness. But they both looked happy and so relaxed that it made me breathe a sigh of relief.

Bray leaned forward to put a hand on my and Shelby's shoulders. "So thank you for the honeymoon. It was perfect."

Smiling, I patted his hand. "You're most welcome. And the two of you deserved it. Hell, we all need a vacation, but I'm happy to have given you yours."

My son-in-law frowned. "You sound stressed, Aunt Ness. Everything okay? Did something happen?"

Reaching back, I patted his cheek. "We're not talking about that right now. Right now, we are about to get out of this car and see what the others have attempted to cook for us."

"You left Dad alone in the kitchen?" Jules asked incredulously.

Shelby and I both chuckled.

"Both Jacob and Seth," Shelby answered. "As well the other boys."

"So who all is gonna be at this family dinner?" Bray asked.

In the rearview mirror, I saw Piper shrug. "Just family and mates. Will, the twins, their mates, Cordy, me, and Jason."

"Why is my Jeep here?" Jules asked as we all got out of the SUV. Bray went to the back to get their bags and we all followed. It'd be best to make the transfer to Jules's car now so that we didn't have to do it when we were full of good food and tired.

"Your dad brought it up," Piper said. "Something about not liking it sitting down at your place unattended."

Since everyone was able to grab a bag, we got it all in one trip.

Before we made it to the porch, the front door opened. Will was standing there with a grin, but it was my granddaughter who ran past him, giggling.

"An' Jues! An' Jues!"

She paused at the stairs, and Jules ran forward to scoop her up before she had the chance to try to climb down them.

"Oh, I missed you, too!" Jules said before kissing Cordy all over her face, making the girl giggle.

There were hugs all around, Will kissing his sister on the forehead and manly-hugging Bray.

"We're glad you guys are back," he said.

"That's never a good sign," Bray said as we all walked into the house.

Cordy was transferred over to her godfather after reaching for him just as everyone crowded around. Then it was Jacob's turn to hug our daughter, and it lasted for at least five minutes.

"Thanks for rescuing my car."

Jacob chuckled and kissed the top of her head. "I know how much you love it."

While they had their moment, I went through Jules's bag to find her camera. Because we'd gone digital with pictures, I'd bought a projector for the house. Jacob had installed a screen and that's how we watched movies instead of just buying bigger TVs. It was the best decision we'd made because we didn't have to worry about breaking anything. I checked the photos on the computer before putting them up just in case there were any…uh…personal photos that she wouldn't want everyone to see.

"Whatchya doin', Mom?" Ash asked. Crossing his arms, he leaned a hip against the desk.

My youngest baby had been different the last few days as well as his relationship with Cole. They were even more relaxed and had been way more open with the PDA. They were always touching and giving those secret couple smiles. I was betting they'd finally had sex, and I was relieved. Ash was so concerned with his image as Alpha that he kept himself from enjoying his own life. But it looked like those days were at an end, and I couldn't be happier that my baby was past all that.

I smiled up at him. "Uploading your sister's photos." Taking his hand, I kissed the back of it. "So what did you and Cole make for dinner?"

He smiled back and squeezed my hand. "Chicken parmesan. And to be fair, Dad did make the garlic bread."

"From scratch?" I asked surprised.

Ash gave me a look. "Are you kidding?"

We laughed and heard Jake say, "Hey now!"

"Alright, guys," Cole said. "Dinner's almost ready. Go clean up."

And Cole was different, too. He was more. There wasn't really an adjective to describe how he'd changed, but there was a confidence that hadn't been there a few days ago. But we all did as he said and took turns at the bathroom and kitchen sinks to wash up.

Cordy ended up sitting half on Bray's lap and half on Jules's. They sat close enough together so that she could without falling between them. Hunter grinned while Will just shook his head at his daughter's antics.

"Spoiled brat," he muttered into his glass.

Hunter fired a napkin at him.

He just grinned at her.

"So how was everything?" Jason asked. "No problems?"

Of course, his first question was about security. He'd taken his job seriously over the years, but it was taking control of his life. The poor boy needed a break.

Piper gave him a sympathetic look but rubbed his arm.

Shelby and I exchanged a look. She'd seen it, too. My best friend shrugged.

Jules nodded and finished chewing. "Everything was great. They were really good guys, didn't fight with us or anything."

Jason nodded. "Good. I always wonder because my guys have problems learning to work with their charges."

"Jason," Piper said, "really, babe, you worry too much about your job. This is supposed to be happy family time, not talk about work time."

"Actually," Bray said as he twined a bit of noodles onto a small fork for Cordy. "You all look tense and worried despite the smiles. What happened while we were gone?"

We all played hot potato with glances. Finally, they landed on Jacob or Seth. Then the two men shared a look.

Seth wiped his mouth. "Well," he said clearing his throat. "There was an attack in Seattle."

"What?" Jules asked lowering her fork without having taken the bite. "What kind of attack?"

"Of the wolf variety," Seth answered.

Both Jules and Bray looked outraged. "Seattle is supposed to be neutral," he said.

Jacob nodded. "Yes, it is. That's why we think the attack was intentional."

"That and because the victim was a kid on my football team," Cole said.

 _"_ _What?"_ they both said at the same time.

Cordy let out a whimper and curled up against Bray's chest forcing him to calm down, wrapping his arms around her protectively.

"What happened?" Jules asked in a calmer tone. She reached out to stroke Cordy's hair.

Cole, Ash, and Jason took turns with the story. Then Dox and Ryell added in.

"He's alive," Ryell said. "And he's actually acclimating well despite having fought the infection for so long. But even so, I'm worried. He's talking to the pack therapist, and she won't tell us anything. She'd go to my dad if she thought the kid was a risk. I just think he's having trouble merging his two lives, ya know?"

Bray nodded and took a drink. "So I assume you guys came up with a plan?"

"The Cullens are watching Seattle, making sure there's only one rogue wolf," Jake said. "And if he attacks again, they might catch him. Will and Caden and Leah are staying where they are on the rez, watching for any threats. Jules, with Piper's mating coming up, your mother assumed you'd want to spend most of your time on the compound. And Bray, we'll take you wherever you're willing to help. Dox and Ash are on the compound as well with Jason, Piper, and Ryell."

"We've got heavy patrols again," Jason chimed in. "My guys as well as Jacob's. With the emissaries coming, we've got to make sure that this area is secure. Garrett has agreed to add extra muscle when he and Haleigh come up here for the party. And hopefully this mess will die down before Ryell and Dox's mating, whenever they decide to have it."

Jules looked at Ryell. "Walker changed his mind?"

Rye nodded with a smile. "Yeah, he's letting Dox and me have the mating when and how we want with minimal guests. Each ally pack will only be allowed one to two people as witnesses."

My daughter beamed. "That's great! I'm so happy for you guys." Then she looked at Piper. "Are you excited about your mating?"

Piper cast a worried glance at Jason before turning with smile. "I really am. I'm not planning it because there's a tradition to see to when the head enforcer gets mated, but I'm totally okay with that. After helping plan your wedding, I'm okay with people planning mine."

We all laughed, but also noticed Jason's lack of enthusiasm.

And he saw that we noticed.

Clearing his throat, he stood up. "I'm gonna get some air for a second." Then he gave a half-hearted smile to Bray and Jules. "I'm glad you're back safe."

Then he left.

Piper sighed and stood. "I'll go talk to him. I'm sorry. He's really stressed out right now."

"It's okay," Jules said. "Go take care of him."

Across the table, Jake and I shared a look. It was that look that said we'd been through our issues and were happy to have made it through them. Now, we rarely if ever fought. We'd come to learn what we needed to agree to disagree on a long time ago.

And now our kids were learning the same lessons.

 **PiperPOV**

"Jason? Jason!"

I jumped the steps of the porch and jogged to where my mate had stopped at the sound of my voice.

With his hands in his pockets, he was staring up at the abnormally clear sky.

I put my hand on his arm. "Baby, what is it? What's wrong?"

He took a deep breath that moved his whole upper body, then let it out in a cloud in the chilly night air. "I don't know. I should be happy."

I frowned. "But you're not?"

Jason shook his head. "I have everything I could ever want. I'm in charge of the enforcers, steering them back into humanity. I have you at my side. What is wrong with me?"

Heart breaking for him, I walked around until we could face each other. His head was still tilted back, but I reached up to trace his jawline. "It's because you can't separate yourself from your work. You don't trust your guys to make the right decision when you're not there."

He shook his head and swallowed. "When Bray and Jules were gone, I was so fucking worried, Piper. The guys would only send one or two sentence messages to let me know how things were going and it was always good. But I worried."

Tears sprang up in my eyes. "It's because you love them."

This time the head shake was nearly violent as he looked down at me. "I don't belong in there, Piper. Having a family? It's dangerous."

I frowned. "What are you talking about?"

He motioned behind him, swinging his arm back toward the house. "Them. I love all of them. Shelby and Ness are like mothers to me. Your brother, Jules and the others, they're like my own siblings. Jacob?" his voice cracked then. "I would lay a siege on Hell itself to avenge any one of them. And you."

Trying to control my emotions, I pressed my hands to his chest and smoothed his shirt. "Is that really such a bad thing?"

His hands came up to cup my face, forcing me to look up at him. "When it comes to you, no. You're my mate. You I can protect. But them? I'm one person. I can't be everywhere at once."

"No one is asking you to, Jason. They love you. And I can guarantee you that right now, they're worried about you. They see the toll this job is taking on you."

"I love my job, Piper."

I gripped his arms. "I know that. And you deserve it. The title, the honor and respect that comes with it. But you need a break. You're letting it consume you. If you need to stop-,"

Now he looked offended and pulled away. "I'm not quitting."

I growled. "Would you shut up and listen to me? For two seconds?"

He just stared at me with an angry expression.

"What I'm _trying_ to say," I said, putting my hands on my hips, "is if you ask Walker for a break, a vacation like the others get, then he'll give it to you. He doesn't expect you to run yourself into the ground. He's pack leader and he takes time away from the job to be with his family. You should, too, before it tears you apart. Now either go back inside or don't. But if you do, get yourself put back together. This is supposed to be a happy occasion. I love you and I want to help you, but if you don't let me, then that's your problem. I've given you a solution. Now it's up to you to decide if your pride is worth it."

With that, I turned around and went back for the house.

The thing about dealing with Jason was that you had to practically be rude and mean to get through to him. You had to make him think that you were done with him acting the way he was acting. It wasn't that I didn't understand how overwhelmed he was. I had my own little pack. When I wasn't around, they took orders from him. But if the two of us were around, they deferred to me, and that terrified me. But I still made sure to take downtime with him and my friends. If I didn't, I'd go crazy.

So, taking a deep, steadying breath, I went back up the porch and into the house.

Everyone glanced over.

"Everything okay?" Mom asked.

I nodded. "Like I said, he's super stressed out right now."

"Oh," she said. "Will he be coming back?"

For some reason, the question made my gut clinch tight and my throat close up. I managed to swallow and say, "I don't know."

My mother nodded solemnly, but didn't look at me with sympathy or pity. She gave me a small smile and motioned me back to the table. "Well, come back over here. We were about to have dessert and pick teams for games."

"I get Piper," Jules called out.

When I looked at her, startled, she grinned and winked at me.

"Well if you get your best friend," Bray said, "then I get Will."

With that, everybody started talking at once, fighting over who they get as a partner. They didn't treat me different just because I was having a shitty moment. They let me have my moment, and when I was ready to join in, they'd make room for me.

Ash looked up to wave me over but paused with a surprised expression.

Looking over my shoulder, I found Jason coming through the door.

"Too late to join in?" he asked in a low voice.

Everyone paused, but it was Uncle Jake who shook his head. "Not at all, son. We have an odd number, though, so we'll have to repick teams. But you can team up with me and Seth if you want."

Jason smiled and it was the most relaxed and relieved smile I'd seen him have in weeks. Just the sight of it made me relax and breathe easier.

Then he turned his eyes to me and walked over. I turned so that I wouldn't have to keep looking over my shoulder. He put his warm hand to my cheek and rubbed the pad of his thumb over the bone.

"I'm sorry," he said softly as he leaned down.

Smiling, I put my hand over his heart. "Forgiven."

The kiss was soft, just a pressure of lips.

A clinking sound made us separate and turn around.

Will was standing up, his fork tapping his glass. "Alright, alright. Now that everyone is back in the house. I got a couple things to say. First," he tilted his head toward Bray and Jules, "I want to say how happy I am that my sister and my best friend have come back alive and happy as well as congrats again on the wedding." He looked at Bray. "Now you and I can be miserable husbands together. Welcome to the club."

All the married men at the table chuckled. Aunt Ness threw a piece of bread at Uncle Jake while Hunter poked Will in the side.

"Anyway," Will said scowling playfully and rubbing his side, "we're all happy you're back and that you had a good time. And for the second thing I have to say," he looked at Jules, "I hope you won't be mad but I felt like this would be the best time with our loved ones here."

Jules frowned for a moment. Then her expression turned excited as she leaned forward with a grin.

Will grinned back and nodded.

The two of them had always had their secret language where they could read each other. Bray and I had something similar.

"Well?" Aunt Ness said. "Spit it out, kid."

We all laughed. Jason wrapped his arms around me, his laugh rumbling through his chest against my back.

Will grinned at his mother. "Hunter and I are expecting baby number two."

Jules smacked the table. "I knew it!" she yelled as everyone else started grinning.

Around me, Jason started clapping and I joined in.

"Woo-hoo!"

All the women moved for Hunter while the guys crowded around Will before we started to mingle. Cordy was being passed around and asked if she was ready for a brother or sister.

"I want this," Jason whispered.

Frowning, I turned my head to look at his face where it was resting on my shoulder.

He gave no explanation other than locking eyes with me, and I didn't ask.

 **A few days later…**

 **DoxPOV**

On the compound, the rez, and Forks, things tended to be calm. But when shit hit the fan, it was a rather large load that rained down on us.

Today, I was leaning against the arm of the couch in Walker's house. Ryell was sitting at my hip. Ash and Cole were talking in low tones to Casey who had finally been cleared to be on his own on the compound. Jason, Piper, and Elias were close by, listening as Ash and Cole asked the kid questions. Edward was outside so as not to freak the kid out, but he was listening to the thoughts and would tell us about any discrepancies.

"It's okay, Casey," Cole said. "Just go over it one more time. Anything small could be important."

Casey sighed. His curly hair was sticking up in all directions because he kept running his fingers through it. "Okay, so I got to my Dad's place. He lives in a nice gated community. I know just about everyone there. I didn't see anything strange or whatever. The first night was fine. The next day, Dad and I went fishing at the community's lake."

This was the part in the story he kept fidgeting, his hand going back into his hair.

Ash reached up to gently pull his hand away. "Casey, we can't help you if you don't talk to us. We can't stop this from happening again. Please."

The kid sighed again dramatically. "Okay, okay. There was a group of kids. I'd never seen them before and neither had Dad. He said it was possible they'd jumped the fence or slipped through the gate when a car went through."

"What about them?" I asked.

Casey looked up at me like I made him nervous. He cleared his throat and dropped his gaze. "They seemed normal, just walking around the lake, talking and laughing."

"Then why does mentioning them make you hesitate?" Jason asked.

Cole and Ash shot us both irritated looks, like we weren't being gentle enough.

I shrugged. As long as he kept answering, we'd keep asking without getting aggressive.

Casey took a keep breath. "They stayed around me and Dad. And the one that kept staring at me was the same one that attacked me. He was different than the others, younger somehow. Nervous."

"Did you see the others when the attack happened?" I said.

He shook his head. "No. I mean, he literally came out of nowhere and dragged me into an alley. He said he was sorry but he had to."

Jason and I exchanged a frown. He motioned me over with a head movement.

"Could be an initiation," he whispered when I was close enough.

"What do you mean?"

"Like gangs," he answered. "Usually to become a member of a gang, they have some sort of initiation exercise. Maybe the attacker had to prove himself to get into a pack."

I nodded. "That could explain why there was only one attack even though there were multiple wolves."

We pulled apart and Jason stepped forward. He went to crouch in front of Casey. Casey squirmed. "I know you're nervous, scared. I get it, and I'm sorry that this happened to you. But I need to ask if you can remember what these kids looked like. Even if it's just one or two."

Casey nodded. "Yeah, I think so."

Jason nodded. "There's a man outside, Edward Cullen. I'm going to need you to give him the descriptions. We'll take everything else from there, alright? You're safe here, Casey. We'll teach you the ropes and you can decide what you want to do. But there are rules even if you choose not to be in our pack."

"Am I really going to shapeshift?" Casey was clearly rattled and looking for comfort, but there was none to be given.

Jason put his hand on the kid's shoulder. "Yes, and I won't lie, it's going to hurt. But it will hurt less if you don't fight it. If you accept what you are, the sooner you can control it."

"Will I hurt someone?" he asked desperately.

Jason shook his head. "Not a human. We'll take the hits because we can handle them. I won't let you hurt an innocent. I promise, Casey." Jason stood up. "Get some rest. The full moon just passed so you have a few weeks to get used to the idea."

Quick footsteps sounded on the stairs.

Wren came down, his eyes wide and in a panic. "Someone turn on the news. Now."

Ryell got to the remote first. She finally got to one of regional channels, and we all got quiet as we registered what we were seeing.

"…Again, this footage was just sent to our station," the reporter was saying. "It's unclear what's happening or the identities of the assailant and victim. Further investigation on the video as well as the location of this supposed attack is currently ongoing. But early reports say that the police did find evidence of an altercation in this alleyway. We will keep you updated as the reports come in."

"Son of a bitch," I breathed.

"Aw crap," Casey said. "I can't believe someone recorded that!"

It had been a video of the attack on Casey, claws and all. The attacker had even looked at the camera with those alien eyes.

"Edward!" Ash called.

My twin and I shared a look just as our grandfather joined us. We rewound the live TV so that he could see it instead of watching it through our memories.

Walker came bounding down the stairs. "What the _fuck_ was that?"

Jason glared down at Casey. "Did you know about this?" he demanded.

Casey stared up at Jason in shock, but then he got angry. I could tell because his eyes started to flicker. "Are you kidding? Yeah," he said sarcastically. "I was totally aiming for someone to record the shining moment when I got my stomach sliced open. Thanks for the fake concern."

Jason growled but I grabbed his arm.

"That's enough!" Walker growled. Then he came to stand in front of Casey. Leaning down, he grabbed the kid's shirt and lifted him up. "Who else was in that alley?" he demanded and shook the kid.

"Dad!"

"Walker!" Edward yelled.

Jason and I each grabbed Walker's arms while Ash grabbed Casey around the waist. We all pulled in our respective directions to get them apart. Jason stepped in front of Walker, putting both hands on the pack leader's chest. Casey was being protected by Ash and Cole.

"I swear I don't know!" Casey said.

"Get him out of here," I said to Ash. "Grampa, call Dad, see if he saw it, too."

"Wait, guys," I heard Wren say just for it to get lost amidst the yelling.

"Guys!" he tried again.

But everyone just kept talking and shouting.

Then Wren whistled real loud. "Shut up!"

Everyone froze and looked to the kid with wide eyes.

Wren looked nervous but did stand down. He motioned to the TV. "They haven't identified anyone, not Casey or his attacker. Not yet. Why are we panicking? It's not like they're going to call in the National Guard this minute. Calm down."

The room stopped again and shared looks. Walker seemed to take deeper breaths. He closed his eyes and rubbed his face.

I nodded. "He's right. Unless Casey's dad sees this and calls anytime soon, they won't identify them for a while. We have time before somebody comes asking to talk to Casey."

"We need to see if Casey's dad is likely to see this sooner rather than later," Walker said.

Ryell stood up. " _I'll_ go talk to him." She gave her dad a withering look before swinging her exasperated gaze to me.

I nodded before turning to Wren. "Good keeping your head on, kid."

Walker came over looking embarrassed. "Dox is right. Calm thinking is what we need in this situation."

Wren pressed his lips together and shrugged just as the front door opened.

"So," Jules said as she and Bray walked in, "I'm assuming by the tension in this room that you guys saw the news, too."

"So what do we do?" Bray asked.

Walker looked at his son. "We keep our heads calm. They'll want to run that footage through every program they have. And who knows, they might make a determination that it was a Halloween costume."

"Until they find my blood," Casey muttered from near the front door.

We all looked at him.

He shrugged. "I know that I passed out for a few minutes. When I woke up, I was in a puddle. I don't think any amount of rain could wash all of that away. There wasn't a drain nearby that I can remember."

"Can you remember where the attack happened?" Walker asked. He was calming down and starting to act like a pack leader again.

Casey nodded. "Absolutely."

"Jason," Walker said, "get the info and give it to a few of your guys. See if one of the Cullens will go with to help out."

Jason nodded but gave me a look before he went to talk to Casey. The look said to watch out for Walker.

"You don't have to," said a low voice.

I looked at my mate's father.

He motioned toward Jason with his chin. "I saw the look. It's all good. I'm calm." Then he turned. "And speaking of which, Wren, I'm sorry I made you uncomfortable to make your point."

Wren fidgeted and looked down. "It's okay."

Shaking his head, Walker went to put his hands on his son's shoulders. "No, it's really not. I haven't been a good leader or a good dad lately, and I'm sorry."

Wren shrugged. "You have bigger things to worry about. I know that."

Walker cupped Wren's face and lifted it so they would meet gazes. " _Nothing_ should be bigger or more important than my children."

Wren studied his dad before nodding. "It's alright, Dad. We can talk later."

While they had their moment, I pulled my buzzing phone out my pocket. It was my own dad. "Hey, Dad."

"What the hell is going on? Seth and I are on our way to the compound."

The sound of screaming tires on pavement sounded in the background.

Steeling myself, I gave him a summary of the last few minutes.

"So you're sure it wasn't the kid's fault?" he demanded when I was finished.

"I'm sure, Dad. Something else is going on."

Dad took one of those deep calming breaths like he was trying not to lose his temper over my answers. Will and I had gotten that expression a lot growing up because we were the troublemakers of the Black clan.

After a moment, he finally replied. "What is Walker doing?"

"Right now? Calming down. There was sort of an explosion where everyone lost their shit."

Dad growled. "So nothing."

I growled back. "For fuck's sake, Dad. The last thing we need is to panic. The news stations, the police, none of them know anything. For all they know, it could have been a stupid stunt. There's no need to go batshit crazy and expose ourselves. So chill. I'm tired of dealing with alpha tempers."

He was quiet for so long that I thought he might tell me I was grounded. For a good three heartbeats, I even feared for my existence.

"Dad-,"

"No. You're right," he said in a calmer voice. "I'm not sure I like this new tone of yours, but you are right. We're about to pull into the compound. See you in a few."

Then he was gone. He just hung up on me.

I held my phone out away from my ear and stared at it. Had I really just told my own dad to chill?

"Dox?"

Looking up, I found Ash standing in front of me. He was frowning at my face and then to my phone.

"Was that Dad?"

I nodded.

"Everything okay?"

I shrugged and tucked away my phone. "We'll see when Dad comes in."

Ash's eyebrows shot up into his hairline just as Dad and Uncle Seth walked in. Dad's expression was tight, but he nodded toward me and Ash.

Ash and I shared a look as they walked past us.

"Alright," Walker said in a loud voice. "Everyone in the meeting room. Now."

We all started to move, when his voice called out again.

"Wren?"

Now everyone looked to the kid who was standing on the stairs with wide eyes, shock written across his face. His hand was on the bannister and one foot on a step as if he'd been going up to his room in dismissal.

Walker smirked and jerked his head. "You, too, son."

"Really?"

Walker nodded. "We need that calm head of yours. Besides, it's time we started treating you like pack. Beyond time."

As Wren started to walk over, we all parted to let him through until he got to his dad's side. Walker wrapped an arm around his son's shoulders, and together, they led the way to the meeting room. Rye took my hand, but when I looked at her, she was smiling at the other two men in her life. Squeezing her hand, I leaned over to kiss her temple.

On my other side, Dad moved into step next to me. He gave me a sideways look and a small smirk.

I breathed easier knowing he wasn't really pissed with me.

Ash was the last into the room, probably because he'd been saying goodbye to Cole.

Walker seemed to notice this as he sat down at the head of the long table. "Where's Cole?"

Ash frowned. "He's going to go home, I guess. This meeting might take a while."

Shaking his head, Walker stood up and went for the door. "Hey, Cole! Get in here."

When Ash looked at me, I shrugged.

Cole reached the door and Walker pulled him inside.

"But I'm not-,"

Walker gave him a look. "If all goes to plan, you will be. Besides, Ash will tell you what we say anyway. Might as well gain your input now instead of later. Sit down." He took his seat again. "Jason, you might want to call your girl. This will affect her people, too." As Jason pulled out his phone, Walker continued. He sat forward and laced his hands together. "Now that I have my head on right again, thanks to my son, let's all calmly start thinking of plans of attack for how we might deal with the repercussions of Casey's attack."

 **A Week Later…**

 **AshPOV**

"So how are you feeling?"

Victoria looked up from her book to give me that look that said I was being cute. "I'm fine, Ash. Just waiting on Mark. He insisted on picking me up just to take me to the square so I can help get everything ready for the mating ceremony."

Taking that as an invitation, I sat down next to her and asked, "So, Mark, huh?"

Her cheeks flared with a blush as she fiddled with the bookmark. "What about him?"

I smirked, proud of my observational skills. "Come on. I see how you two look at each other. Is there something there?"

Her head snapped up and she said, "no," a little too hurriedly. "I mean," she said looking away, "I don't know. He's very professional, but I have noticed that he's the one who always handles me, touches me. Nik just drives and stays quiet."

I nudged her with my shoulder. "There's nothing saying that you and Mark can't have a thing, Toria. I'm sure Jason wouldn't mind."

She looked up at me. "But wouldn't he get pulled off my protection?"

"Maybe," I said, shrugging. "Maybe not. It depends on if he can stay focused. But that shouldn't be a determinate for if you have something with him."

Sighing, she put the book on the coffee table before curling up beside me to rest her head on my shoulder. "I'm just not one of those girls that's okay with making the first move."

"That's understandable. It's generations of breeding that society feels like the man should be more forward than the woman. There are lots of women like you who feel that way. But you can encourage him to make the first move. Let him know you're available and interested. Smile, casual touch, flirt. Make him feel like you need him by letting him help you around work. Males like him like to be the tough he-man and feel like their females need them."

She rolled her eyes up to look at me. "Is that how you feel with my brother?"

That made me chuckle. "I think it's a bit different since we're both men, but yeah, sometimes. There's a give and take in our dominance with each other. We both know where the other should have the control, like with the pack. Cole knows that I'm an alpha and I should take the lead there, even after he becomes pack."

Against me, Victoria shuddered. "Is he really going to go through with that?"

I nodded and took her hand. "He's pretty set on it."

"I guess I just don't understand."

I sighed. "In order to understand that, you have to understand that the way your dad treated him still bothers him. He has nightmares that he tries to hide. Being human is hard for him, but becoming a monster? It's easier to deal with the pain and the anger. As a wolf, he can fight, sink claws into something."

"I never knew," she whispered.

"He doesn't want anybody to know how hurt he was and still is by your parents. I know he's glad to have the acceptance of my family and sees my parents as his, but my parents aren't his blood. It's so hard for Cole to fathom why the people who brought him into this world treated him with such hatred for being his own person."

Toria squeezed my hand. "I'm so glad he has you and your family. He should have had me, too, but I was too stupid to realize…"

"It wasn't stupidity," I said, gripping her hand. "All teenagers as selfish, Toria. The reason you see it now is that baby you're carrying. _You_ fathom ever treating your son the way your parents treated Cole."

Her free hand rubbed her stomach. "He's not my son," she said softly. "But you're right." She turned her face into my arm, and I felt the tears sink into my t-shirt.

Leaning over, I kissed the top of her head. "I think Mark just pulled up. Why don't you go clean up while I talk to him?"

Sniffling, she pulled back and wiped her face. Then she laughed. "Thanks, Ash. For everything."

Reaching over, I grabbed a tissue and wiped her cheeks. "Don't even mention it, Toria. We're family." Standing up, I held my hand out to help her up off the couch. "Go wash up; I'll make sure he knows the drill."

She gave me a look. "We're staying on the compound."

I touched her belly. "If we're still sticking to the arrangement, this little boy is my son and you're Cole's sister. I need you to be safe, Victoria. I need my son to be safe, so I'd feel better if you have personal protection."

Taking a deep breath, she put her hands over mine. "Okay," she said softly. "I understand."

A tightness in my chest eased. This was the first time I'd acknowledged out loud to someone other than Cole that Victoria's baby was my son. Apparently, I really had made a decision.

When she pulled away, I went outside to meet up with Mark.

The enforcer was leaning against the driver side door of the dark SUV that he and Nik usually drove Victoria around in. His head swung around when I shut the door behind me. His gaze moved around me like he was looking for Victoria.

"Everything okay?" he asked as he pushed away from the car, unfolding his arms.

I nodded and stuffed my hands in my pockets. "Yeah, she's just freshening up. I wanted to take a minute to ask if you remembered what we talked about."

He nodded. "Sure. Keep my eyes on her at all times, make sure she gets enough to eat, and make sure she rests."

I laughed. "Yeah, yeah. But, uh, I wouldn't make any demands."

He frowned. "What do you mean?"

Wanting to play matchmaker, but needing to be subtle, I said, "I'm pretty sure if _you_ ask nicely, nobody will have to demand anything of her."

The frown deepened. "Mr. Black-," he began to ask when the door opened.

I smirked as all his attention turned to Victoria. His nostrils flared as though he was scenting her.

Victoria was bundled up for a cold, crisp day. A burgundy scarf was tied around her neck and tucked into a dark blue coat. She smiled. "Are we ready?"

Mark shot me a questioning look before going around to open the passenger side door. "Piper and Jules are excited for you to go mingle with the others."

She took a deep breath that puffed out in a cloud. "Well, I'm not sure how well I'll get along with everyone or what exactly I need to do but I'll try."

Before I could say anything, Mark was on with the reassurances. "They loved you at the Clearwaters' wedding. I'm sure that hasn't changed."

As he held his hand out to help her into the car, she glanced at me over her shoulder. When I nodded, she took his hand and let him help.

"Thank you, Mark."

Like most strong, dark, and deadly types, Mark just ducked his head in acknowledgement before making sure all of her was in the truck and shutting the door.

As soon as they were backing out of the driveway, I went back inside. In our bedroom, Cole came out of the bathroom in just a pair of jeans and towel scrubbing his hair.

"Victoria leave?" he asked as he threw the towel in the hamper and grabbed a shirt.

I nodded but swallowed hard. Seeing the water bead on his chest reminded me of the sweat that had covered it earlier this morning.

"Ash? You okay?"

I realized I was staring and lifted my eyes to meet his gaze. But I didn't have to say anything because he smirked and finished pulling his shirt over his head. As he walked past me, he wrapped his arm around my waist and pulled me against his side. "Later," he said against my neck.

I nodded. "Later."

He moved his lips over my skin until he reached my lips. The kiss was soft and sweet before he pulled away.

"We're meeting Charlie at the police station?" He sat on the bed and pulled his boots on.

I went to lean against the doorjamb and crossed my arms. "Yeah, and Chief Yates from the rez." I scrubbed my face. "I still can't believe we're telling our secret. Charlie and Yates, I get. But the others?" I shook my head.

Cole rested his elbows on his knees. "It's the best way to protect both towns. We need to know if anything weird happens. Forks is a bigger town than the rez and the wolves can't be everywhere. No matter how tight we get the patrols or how often they're run, there are still holes in the defenses. Not to mention, Walker and Jacob don't want the wolves running too close to Forks, which stresses the patrol even more."

"I know, I know."

"Besides, if the packs come forward now, show that we're not dangers to the communities, that we're protectors, maybe it won't get too out of hand when the shit hits the fan everywhere else in the country."

I looked up at him. "Do you really think that will happen?"

"Don't you? It's already happening. We've just been putting it on the backburner. The break through the veil will happen in our lifetime, Ash. We might as well start preparing for it."

"But telling them could turn into a wolf hunt. They could turn the town against us."

"Ash, babe, it's a risk we have to take." Going to the closet, he grabbed his coat and put it on. "We should go."

Twenty minutes later, we were pulling up into the Forks police station parking lot. I recognized cars from other members of the pack. No arriving in wolf form, I guess. Needing to appear as normal as possible before dropping a bomb like the one we were about to was a good idea.

Bray and Jules pulled up next to us as we were walking up to the door.

"Ready for this?" Bray asked.

"Kind of have to be," I said. "It was majority vote."

"You voted majority," Jules said as she took Bray's hand once the car was no longer between them.

Holding open the door, I said, "Yeah, I know. It was the best choice, but that doesn't mean I have to like it. Who's gonna be coming in wolf form?"

Jules was the first through the door, Bray and Cole behind her. "Will and Piper," she answered. "One from each species, I guess."

Bray growled a little. "My sister and my best friend."

" _My_ brother and _my_ best friend," Jules said over her shoulder. "I'm not much happier about it than you are."

"I don't think we'd be happy with any choice," Cole said as we trooped down the hallway toward the meeting room.

Looks like Dad and Walker and Charlie managed to convince everyone away from the front of the building so the wolves could come in without being surrounded by weapons. Also not a bad idea.

This was the great plan: to tell the law enforcement of Forks our big secret. The rez police already knew, have known for years. But because Forks police have been kept in the dark, the patrols have had to be run farther out to avoid residents seeing us. With the threats coming from out of nowhere and in a force that we don't know anything about, we needed to tighten our lines. And the only way we could do that is to make sure that the cops knew not to shoot us or respond seriously to animal control calls on wolves.

I just prayed this wouldn't go the way of the movies where people started shooting and asking questions later.

 **ColePOV**

Walking into that meeting hall, I was more nervous than I thought I would be. I was still human after all. But I guess it was a good thing that I had already adopted the nervousness of people finding out, felt the anxiousness of seeing their reaction.

Ash joined me just as Charlie Swan was finishing his little introduction speech. Charlie had retired years ago but still harbored the respect of his old partners. He'd promised Jacob and Walker he'd try to keep things as calm as possible.

"-speculation for years. Chief Yates and I are here to inform you that most of the speculation is true."

Whispers and gasps erupted in the room as panicked gazes met other panicked gazes. Wary looks were tossed toward us and I noticed various hands hovering toward weapons.

Charlie stepped forward, hands raised with palms out. "Please, don't panic or jump to conclusions."

One voice rang out from the crowd. "You trying to tell us that they're werewolves, Chief Swan? That werewolves exist?"

Charlie looked at Jacob. There was a world of words passed between them.

Jacob stepped forward, tall and proud. Nessie stepped back, closer to me. She gave me a small, reassuring smile.

Jacob cleared his throat. "That is exactly what Charlie is telling you. There have been werewolves roaming these woods for years."

More whispers, louder this time. The panic was thick on the air.

One of the older cops stepped forward. "Hang on, I remember you," he said to Jacob. "And you, the Clearwater kid." He looked at Seth before back at Charlie. "You were hunting wolves when Harry Clearwater died."

I was close enough to the front to see Seth wince, his face screwing down into pain. Beside him, Shelby rubbed his back and leaned in to kiss his shoulder. Bray growled a little before Jules elbowed him in the ribs. He cut it short but not before some of the uniforms closest to us heard and looked sharply in his direction, unsure of who made the sound.

The older cop who'd spoken held his hands up. "I meant no harm."

Jacob looked back at Seth before looking around to glare at Bray. Then he faced forward again. "It's alright. But yes, they were in the woods that day, hunting us before they knew the truth. Harry knew about us and he was covering our tracks, protecting us. But the Forks police didn't."

A female cop stepped forward. "Why would they protect you?"

"You've seen the movies about werewolves. The painful shifting, full moon, blood, all of that. But the wolves that hail from the reservation aren't tied to the moon. Our shifting is something we call phasing, and it has nothing to do with an infection. Ours is genetic, and that gene is triggered when there is a threat to our people or lands."

"Threat?" the woman said, visibly startled.

This is where Jacob paused. The secret about the vampires was a completely different one to tell, and nobody was sure that the Volturi wouldn't come back. He had to tread carefully.

"Threats meaning those of other supernatural natures," Jacob answered diplomatically.

"Wait, you said the wolves that come from the reservation," another officer said. "Are you saying there are others out there? Other…things?"

"Yes," Jacob said in a tone that said he was relieved to be moving back to the wolves. "You're all aware of the secluded compound that was built between Forks and the reservation." He motioned to Walker and his group standing to one side. "We have allies in the other species of wolf. Not just here but across the country. Those wolves are similar to movie werewolves. Their shifting is painful and it's an infection rather than a gene."

Another cop, a young guy, stepped forward. He wasn't necessarily unattractive, but there was a cockiness to him that made me grimace when he started talking. "Hold on," he said with a condescending smirk, putting his hands on his belt like he was big man on campus. "You're spouting all this crap, but how are we supposed to believe this? Where's the proof? And why even risk telling us if it's true?"

There were a number of defiant nods and a surprising number of neutral looks among the group.

Instead of getting irritated like I would have been, Jacob nodded thoughtfully. "I'm glad you asked."

Stepping aside, he motioned toward the double doors behind us. We all turned, creating an aisle. Two enforcers opened the glass doors to let in the two huge wolves. Will and Piper walked in like they owned the place, their heads held high, ears perked up. They stood to their full height, making eye contact with the group of officers.

"Holy shit," the young guy hissed as he backed up, hand hovering over the butt of his gun.

"Draw no weapons!" the newer chief ordered.

There were others like the young guy and all of them looked at their chief like he was nuts.

Now it was Nessie that stepped forward, hands held up. "Please, please. They won't hurt you. One of them is my son; the other my niece. But this is your proof. As you can see, they're bigger than natural wolves. They would never hurt you. We're here to protect the residents of Forks and the reservation."

At the small woman before them, many of the officers calmed down, their eyes still flicking to the wolves. Will went to stand between his parents while Piper went to Jason.

"Okay," said the cocky cop in a shaky voice. "Say we believe you now. Why the hell would you tell us?"

Seth stepped forward. "You've seen the movies. Supernatural beings have both allies and enemies. I'm sure many of you have seen the news from Seattle about the attack on a young man in the alley. Some of you may know him. That footage is real, but we ask that you not mention that to anyone. The reason we're finally unveiling our secret is that we need your help. Our packs are great in number, but there's more land than we can possibly cover without holes."

"What are you asking, Mrs. Black?" the chief asked.

"We're asking that we be allowed to run our patrols closer to Forks without threat of hunters or animal control. The lives of our communities may depend on our working together."

The older office from earlier stepped forward. "You want us to allow giant wolves to run our streets?"

"Not at all," Jacob said. "We'll stay outside of the town, but with winter coming and the trees going bare, we'll be seen easier to trained eyes. We need the hunters to back off if you allow us to run closer to the town. With our patrols tighter, the threats will be severely lessened."

Now Walker stepped forward. "Many of you know who I am from when I was younger. You know my sister, Tricia. We're not your enemies. We've been protecting the communities for years. But you should know that other cities across the country harbor werewolf packs; they just don't know that they do. What we're trying to do by coming out of the shadows and telling you is to lessen the blow when all of this spirals out of proportion. It is specifically because of the video that is forcing us into the open, to protect not only your families but ours as well. Not all of those packs out there are our allies. The more prepared we are as a community, the fewer casualties may happen. I know that this is a lot to take in. Trust me on that. I wasn't always like this. I was born human just like all of you. But I was attacked when I was a teenager, and now I'm a leader. I remember the fear, so I understand your apprehension. But we're trying to prevent any harm to come to our home. We don't want anymore attacks. But with that video leaking out to national news stations, eventually they will figure out every detail about that video and higher authorities will be knocking on our doors. So we don't just need your help with local hunters."

There was a pause before the younger guy spoke up.

"You need us to lie for you."

"We need your protection," Ash said from beside me. It was the first time one of the kids had spoken up.

Jacob gave Ash a look before nodding.

Ash stepped forward. "To protect both Forks and the rez, we've lost good people. We've fought some damn bloody, fatal battles." He motioned toward Jules. "I nearly lost my sister, my mother, my friends, and family; everyone I love to protect _you._ All we're asking you to do is to figuratively roadblock whoever comes asking questions because it will happen. Once they clean up that video and figure everything out, it'll take some time for the word to get out or for people to believe it. The problem is the other wolves out there, those without morals, will feel like their time has come to skulk out of the shadows. It won't be today or even a month from now, but it will happen. And it will turn this country into a bloodbath. When that happens, we will protect you from any harm. We just ask the same in return for now, until we can better prepare for what's coming."

All the police officers stared at him for a moment before playing hot potato with glances at each other. It was as if they were coming to a decision telepathically. Some of them shook their heads and turned away, but most looked toward their chief, awaiting his order.

The man looked at Charlie and motioned him over to the side. They spoke in low tones, but I knew the wolves and the vampires who were waiting outside could hear. I was still human, so I didn't know what they were saying, and Ash's expression stayed passively interested.

After about five minutes with a lot of hissed words and wildly waving arms, they both turned back toward us.

Police Chief James put his hands on his hips and stared at the floor for a few heartbeats before looking up. He didn't seem particularly happy about the decision he'd made but he looked up and gazed around at his people. Then he looked at Jacob. "We'll keep quiet and fend off the feds and whatever else comes this way." Then he pointed a finger and waved it at all of us. "But in return, any attacks that happen will be reported to me. I _will_ be kept in the loop. You all are right; this is a lot to take in." He eyed Will's giant wolf form. "But I can't deny that those wolves are massive. So, either we have mutant wolves or some sort of shapeshifter. And I know all of you can't be crazy. Those statistics just don't work. But do not expect us to take the proverbial bullet for you guys. You do the heavy-lifting, we'll do the talking. That's it."

Jacob nodded and held his hand out. "That's a fair deal and all we're asking."

While the older leaders talked, each side mingled with their own people, but not together. It was clear that there was an invisible line in the room.

I joined Ash as he and his siblings converged into a group. The younger leaders gathered around.

"This'll be interesting," Jules muttered.

"It feels like we just set something in motion," Dox added.

Ash glanced at me.

Crossing my arms, I shook my head. "We didn't have a choice, guys. They see that we're good on our word, we might get solid allies. The wolves need human allies when the shit hits the fan."

"They don't trust us," Ryell said.

"Of course not," Ash answered in a low voice. "They were just told that movie monsters exist. In their heads, they're putting together all the mysteries of the last couple decades that happened here. All the attacks and the wolves in the woods. The weird weather, fires, deaths. I'm sure Walker's and Tricia's disappearances were big news, both of them coming from a nice all-American family from Forks. And then their reappearances on the compound and on the rez. Right now, neither side will fully trust the other until we all prove ourselves."

As the other leaders continued to talk, the rest of us kept looking over at the officers.

Interesting was a mild word. This could change everything.

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 **Love y'all! xoxoxoxoxo**


	19. Chapter 19

**Hey, guys! Phew, I called you guys needy gremlins before but wow, you're getting worse! Lol But yes, I've been gone a long time. I lost my want to write but somehow, it's come back! Again, I will not promise regular updates. I'm still in the middle of school.**

 **However, this chapter is ALL about Piper and Jason. No other POVs are involved. I know, I know. My first update in a long time and it's not even about the twins. *sigh* but alas, I am giving you some good lemons. I have to say that this just might be my favorite chapter out of anything I've ever written.**

 **So please enjoy!**

* * *

 **JasonPOV**

The drums were a steady, thrumming beat on the air.

Night had fallen on the compound, ushering in the packs and other guests for the mating ceremony. And outside, the night rang out with the sounds of people dancing and losing themselves to the ritual beat.

In Dox's cabin, I took a deep breath, letting Bianca paint the last swirls on my bare chest.

Dox, Ash, Will, Bray, and Cole were all milling about the living room, all dressed the same. Leather pants made by the older pack females who remembered what it was like to use every bit of the hunted animal, bare chests, and bare feet. None of them were to be painted. That honor was mine alone seeing as how the blood of the buck I'd hunted earlier was the paint being used on my skin.

Will walked around me so that he could see my face. He whistled low. "Badass," he muttered.

Bianca had created a slashing mask over my face. A few cabins over, I knew that Piper was with the girls and being painted as well with the blood of my kill that was an offering to her.

Finished at last, Bianca joined Will and studied her work. She nodded with satisfied expression. "Not every mating ceremony is like this. Only the pack leader and head enforcer get painted."

"Why?" Ash asked.

I could feel the rest gather around me as the blood dried. "Because both males represent the primal force of the pack," I answered. "The near-violent need to protect."

Bianca nodded. "The females obviously represent the family side of the mated pair, but also the fierceness that females can wield when protecting their mates. They represent the security and support of their mates' brutality. As the highest-ranking males, their females are also the highest ranked among the fairer sex." She breathed deeply before gathering her supplies. "Now, I will leave you guys to chat amongst yourselves while I go get ready and make sure that Walker is ready."

She hurriedly exited, leaving me alone with my friends.

Turning, I moved so I could see all of them. The fact that they were here because I'd asked made my chest tight.

"Thank you for coming," I said. "Thank you for agreeing to stand up there with me."

They all shared a look.

It was Bray who said, "And why wouldn't we? You'd do it for us. You've saved our asses a million times. We look after each other. I'm pretty sure that makes us family. Brothers." Then he smirked. "Except for Ash and Cole. Mates."

They all smiled and nodded.

My throat threatened to close up. I couldn't have asked for a better family.

When I said as much, my brothers grunted in approval.

"So," Dox said, "is this like a human wedding where we're your groomsmen?"

Clearing my throat, shoving aside the emotion, I shook my head. "Not exactly. Ritual and symbolism for the pack will see me picking the five of you standing there behind me as my friends and allies as a sign that I specifically chose you for reasons that would benefit the pack. As head enforcer, I'm supposed to surround myself with those that I trust beyond any doubt and to whom I would entrust the safety of the pack in my stead. The same is said for Piper and the females she picks to stand with her."

Cole smirked. "So you trust us, huh?"

I gave him a level look. "With both my life and that of my mate." Then I looked to each one of them. "Every single one of you are the members of the family that I chose for myself. And not only that, you came into my life and chose not to leave when I gave you every reason to, either in how I treated you or someone else you love."

Glances were tossed again before Will stepped forward and touched a clear space on my shoulder. "Hey, we all have tempers. We all know what it's like to go off on someone we love and be amazed that they didn't walk away from us. But that's what family is, Jason. Especially one that you pick for yourself. Family doesn't have to be blood. You've always been there when it counted. How could we not do the same for you?" He looked back at the others. "I think we can all agree that we'd be honored to walk shoulder to shoulder with you into any battle."

The warrior blood in my veins sang sweetly at that, recognizing that every man in this room had fought and clawed for at least one thing in his life, recognizing that every male here was a warrior and understood how much the honor of battle would mean.

I'd been nervous about the mating, not in doubt of Piper, but in doubt of having someone stand with me. On patrols, I'd been carefully thinking of who to ask, going through all my enforcers. But none of them had seemed right. I wasn't that close to any of them. But then I thought about who Piper would ask. Of course, Jules and Ryell would be at the top of that list. When I had thought about the mates of those two females, I'd gone to Bray's door first. The surprise from him saying yes without hesitation had still lingered by the time Dox's door had opened. Each one of them had said yes without any trace of doubt or hesitation.

Emotion threatening my ability to speak again, I simply bowed at the neck and said hoarsely, "The honor would be mine."

 **PiperPOV**

"Nervous?" Angelica asked as she finished painting my face. There was a smile on her face like she knew the answer from the slow breaths I kept puffing out.

I met her eyes. "Not about Jason's commitment to this. It's just…he takes pride in his position. I don't want to disappoint or embarrass him in front of the pack by doing something wrong."

Her smile turned soft. "When are you going to accept that this pack is your family, too? We've known you since you were born. There is no way you could embarrass or disappoint any of us. Just be yourself."

"Yeah," Ryell said from where she sat on the bed I shared with Jason. I watched her in the mirror as she smirked. "And if anybody has a problem with you, they'll have to go through all of us. Especially me and Jules."

"Amen, sister," Jules said as she came out of the bathroom. She was adjusting the fabric of her dress at her waist under the slim, leather cord.

We were all wearing layers of gauze in different colors. The layers were artfully arranged into a toga-like style where one piece of gauze was pinned over one shoulder so as to still see the blood designs on my skin. Luckily, we all ran warm, except for Ava. My dress was a shade of red so dark it was nearly black. Jules was wearing deep purple. Ryell was in a shade of orange that was the color of fire. Ava's dress was a soft shade of coral, like a sunset on a clear, mild evening. Where Jules and Ryell, and even myself, were sharp and fierce, Ava was our calm and gentle.

Honestly, I was surprised that Ava had agreed to stand with me. After Uncle Paul's death, she'd been reluctant to be around the packs. But she, Jules, and I had been so close before our lives had exploded, and this was an occasion that I refused to play off as nothing huge. Mating Jason was a new step in my life, a very important one that I wanted shared with the most important people in my life.

The last of our group walked in with a kid on her hip. Hunter set Cordelia on her feet and adjusted her dress. "I'm glad we're doing this before I started showing," she said, rubbing her still mostly-flat tummy.

"Well if you were," Jules said, "we'd just try to find a different material to make you comfortable. And to keep my brother from killing everyone."

I snorted. "Even still, he might get aggressive. I mean, look at you, Hunter. You're beautiful, glowing. But Jules is right, tradition be damned."

Angelica grinned. "There's the Piper we love."

Hunter matched the grin before her gaze shot sharply to her daughter. "No, Cordelia. Don't you dare touch that. What have I told you about touching things that don't belong to you?"

The three-year-old was trying to touch the crystal wolf that Uncle Walker and Aunt Christa had given me as a mating gift. When she was scolded, Cordy snapped her hand back against her chest and ran back to her mother. Hunter rubbed her daughter's dark hair.

"Sorry," she said. "She's in a grabby stage."

I nodded. "It happens."

As Angelica finished up, I looked around at all the girls. Arden and Cecily slipped in as well. They were wearing the same color of gauze that I was because apparently families were supposed to match in a dominant mating. This ceremony and party would be different than any other that happened with the Children, even that of the alpha couple.

While Jason's two sisters came over to stand around me with the others, I looked at them and felt my throat close up. The women before me were my powerhouse. "Thank you," I said in as strong a voice as I could. "I'm beyond honored that you all will be joining me and Jason in this ceremony. You're our family, and it means the world to us."

They all shared smiles and bowed at the necks.

"You're the most powerful out of all of us," Ryell said. "Even me with my hybrid blood. As such, it is an honor to call you my ally and, more importantly, my friend. We will always stand with you."

Both her words and tone were formal, and I realized that she was in full alpha female mode. It was even more pronounced when she brought her fingers to her lips in a kiss before extending that hand to me, to press those same fingers to my lips.

Neither of us were lovers of women, but I understood the gesture for what it was. So I lightly kissed her fingers in return.

Yesterday, her mother had come over to talk to check in and talk to me.

 _There was a knock on the door as I put Liam to bed for a nap._

 _Jo came up a moment later to quietly let me know that Christa was downstairs._

 _Thanking her, I followed her out._

 _My aunt smiled at me as I came down the stairs. We shared a little polite conversation before we went up to Jason's office to talk._

 _"_ _So," she said settling in one of the chairs in front of the desk. I took the other. "Are you ready for tomorrow?"_

 _Taking a breath, I shrugged. "I guess I have to be."_

 _Reaching out, she put her hand on my arm. "Walker thought it might be a good idea for me to come over to explain what's going to happen so there aren't any surprises. He also told Seth and Shelby so that they won't freak out."_

 _I frowned. "Why would they?"_

 _Christa pulled back, sitting back in the chair and fingering one of her curls. "The ceremony for the head enforcer is different from every other ceremony, just like the one for the alpha couple. From what I've read of past accounts and from what I've heard from Bianca and Angelica, this ceremony is going to be more ritualistic, more animal than the others."_

 _My pulse sped up. "How so?"_

 _"_ _Well for one, you'll be painted in the blood of Jason's kill. He'll have to hunt before the ceremony to prove that he's dominant enough to shoulder the early shift and to be able to hunt to provide for you and your family. The actual exchanging of vows will be the only thing that remains the same across the board, then the burning that you've chosen to take part in. After that is the party." This is where she became nervous. "The party is different because the enforcers are a brutal culture in and of themselves. The dancing will be calling power. Power that you and Jason will ride throughout the night. And then the actual mating." She cleared her throat. "It'll be…intense from what all I've read. You'll have to…do your thing, then hunt together as a mated pair. Eat the kill together. Then probably more mating. There will an aphrodisiac in the food. Not enough to get us all in trouble and start an orgy, but enough for a little push. But this is the part Walker wanted me to warn you about. There is a…custom…that the alpha enforcer pair mark each other. More than what's on your neck. Scratches, bites. Now, the males may not mark the females depending on their sense of morality, but the females are expected to claw up their males. The mating is not meant to be gentle."_

Just remembering that conversation had me swallowing hard.

Suddenly, the drums outside stopped. The cabin went dark as the power to the entire compound was cut off.

"Well," Angelica said, "that's my cue to get out of here and let the girls take their places." She collected her things and started for the door.

"Wait," I said, touching her arm. "Is there anything against the female wearing something of her male besides the blood?"

The female's brows rose. "Something like what?"

Going to my bedside table, I took out a slip of silk from the drawer. It was red and had been folded neatly. Going back to Angelica, I held the red tie out to her.

I could see both Arden and Cecily exchange a look and smile.

Setting the supplies down, Angelica took the tie to study it. "What value does it have?"

I cleared my throat. "He wore it on our first date. I took it off of him and kept it. And wore it."

She looked up at my face through lowered brows before her eyes studied my body. "Well, you can't wear it like normal but…"

After gently unraveling it, she took my right arm and held it out. Then she wrapped the tie around my bicep as though it was an armband. The color matched the dried blood.

Happy with her work, she patted it and smiled. "There."

"Thank you."

Nodding, she picked her supplies once more and hurried for the door.

"We should go," Ryell said. Then she grinned at me. "Come out when you hear us. You'll know."

With that, the girls filed out. Jules was the last, and she gripped my hand hard before following the others.

Alone in the cabin, I took a deep breath and left my room so that I could wait at the front door for my signal. While I waited, I rubbed my left hand. The skin was smooth but all I could see were the burns that Hunter and Aunt Leah had, and I couldn't wait to prove in front of all the packs that I was strong enough to be his mate. I made the resolve to refuse to flinch when time came even though I knew it would hurt like hell. Jason would be there, and he was my strength. As was my pack.

Outside, the drums started up again. There calls in the night, animal calls from human throats.

And then the howls went up.

My heart hammered as I recognized those voices. The wolf inside me knew the individual voices and could pick them out. There was a mix of the Children and the Quileutes.

For a moment we listened. There was one voice she was waiting for to call her to his side.

Another voice went up into the night.

Satisfaction sang through my blood as Jason called for us, for me.

All I wanted to do was fling the door open and howl back, but I knew that wasn't what was supposed to happen.

I did fling open the door and rush into the dark woods that surrounded our home. I had to walk in the dark, following the flicker of fire through the trees. The howls were still ringing into the crisp air, air that smelled of lightning and a coming storm. The wind from it, pulling it in from the sea, carried be through the woods on the balls of my feet. I barely touched the ground as the woods seemed to part for me, allowing me access to that most sacred power of nature. But it wasn't just the power of the forest, but of the pack, that carried me. The air was charged with the power that they'd already called up through the pre-party.

Sooner than I thought possible, the energy dragged me from the trees to spill me into the square of the compound. The power was stronger here, almost stifling. But I could feel my own power stir in my blood, itching to join the others.

 _Not yet_ , the wolf whispered in my head. _Not until we're mated to our male._

I was still breathing hard when the first of the crowd noticed me. Like a wave, a hush fell over the place as I stalked forward. My body was riding my own power since I couldn't mingle it yet, and I swayed on bare feet, sweat slicked on my skin as I moved for the crowd. They parted, but kept their eyes on me. I noticed that a lot of eyes were already turned to wolf. Amber, bright green, grey, and blue stared back at me. The wolf inside me stirred again, creeping forward. I let her slip into my skin a little, enough to change my own eyes. There were growls of approval, grins that were near feral. Hands reached out to touch me, barely skimming my skin. There was even fur that touched me from those who had shifted or phased.

My hips swayed to some music that I wasn't sure I was actually hearing before the drums started up once more.

As I walked through the packed bodies and got ever closer to the massive bonfire kept lit year round, I noticed a frenzy of movement in the flickering light. Shadows flashed over the faces of the wolves closest to the fire.

Dancing.

Arden, Cecily, and Ryell were dancing around the fire to the beat of the drums. Their eyes were closed, bodies loose and flailing. Their hair was loose and flowing around them. This wasn't the dancing that would be considered proper. It was at once erotic and elegant, pounding and fluid.

The crowd gathered around but left the girls enough room to move. The wolves circled around the fire.

When I got close enough, Christa and Walker moved to stand in front of the fire, far enough away from the writhing girls. They were dressed in ceremonial red robes and delicate circlets graced their heads, denoting them as royalty. Jules and Hunter followed the alpha pair to stand to their right. Then, Jason detached himself from the wolves. Bray, Ash, Cole, and Will stepped out with him, following like a solid wall of power and muscle. All the boys were elegant in their leather pants, the fire painting their russet or tan skin.

But it was Jason who had all my attention. Where the paint on my skin was swirls and whorls, his were slashing lines, more masculine to my feminine. His expression was stoic, but his eyes darkened and danced over my body. I felt the gaze like a fingertip run down my skin. And then those blue eyes flickered to amber as my wolf sent a sliver of power to touch him, his wolf. He answered the call, wrapping a piece of his power around mine, like an invisible cord stretched between us.

As we stepped up toward each other, the drums stopped. The dancing stopped and the girls came to stand behind Jules and Hunter, breathing hard, skin flushed. Their eyes had turned to amber.

Walker held his arms up to silence the packs. There were so many people packed into the square that it took a minute for the hush to fall again.

Walker took a step forward. "Tonight, we recognize the union of these two wolves. The love of the true mate and the imprint. Fate has sought this male and this female to be mated in front of these witnesses this night, and we are honored to bear witness to the true love of soul mates." He turned to Jason. "Jason, alpha enforcer of my pack, this female has chosen you as her mate. Do you swear to protect her and any young she may bear you?"

His amber eyes were intense on me as he said, loud and clear, "I so swear it."

"Do you swear to treat her as your equal, to respect her as your alpha female?"

"I so swear it."

"Do you swear to cherish her for the precious soul that she is for all your time together on this earth?"

"I so swear it."

"And last, but certainly not least, do you swear to love her unconditionally until your dying day and all the lives after this one?"

"I so swear it."

He stepped forward to wrap a piece of hemp string around Jason's wrist, wrapping it around his palm, and end around the ring finger of his left hand. The acrid scent of accelerant came from the thread.

Walker stepped back once more. Christa stepped forward to recite the vows to me.

"Piper, daughter of both the Children and Quileute packs, this male has chosen you as his mate. Do you swear to care for him and any young you may bear him?"

Solemnly, I nodded. "I so swear it."

"Do you swear to treat him as your equal, to respect him as your alpha male?"

"I so swear it."

"Do you swear to honor his warrior soul for as long as he is able to fight for you and any young you may bear him?"

I looked to Jason, feeling that warrior soul wrap around my power. "I so swear it."

"And, last but not least, do you swear to love him unconditionally until your dying day and all the lives after this one?"

"I so swear it."

Christa stepped up to wrap the hemp around my right wrist, across my palm, and ring finger. It mirrored exactly what Walker had done to Jason's hand. Walker moved to stand beside his mate. This was the part I was most nervous about. But I'd seen it done before. It would hurt, but I knew I could do it. I reminded myself of my concrete resolve to not flinch. I would not let the pack see weakness.

Jason held his wrapped hand up, palm out, fingers together. We couldn't lace them as I pressed my smaller palm to his much bigger one. We made sure that the pieces wrapped around our fingers were aligned before Walker stepped forward with a small stick already lit, the fire eating up the wood. Good thing it was a long stick. Christa came up beside him with her own burning wood.

Jason and I stared at each other before we both looked away and nodded to Walker and Christa. We were twined together both physically and metaphysically. I knew his mind as my own in that moment. I felt his wolf rub against mine. He was much bigger than I was both in human and wolf forms. I felt that massive form as though his fur were under my skin.

I'd gone back to locking gazes with Jason, and out of the corner of my eye, I saw that fire get closer. Before either flame touched the hemp, I straightened my spine and squared my shoulders.

The pain was fast and searing, the flames eating up the string and skin underneath. Clenching my jaw, I kept my eyes on Jason, on that aggressive strength I could feel pulsing through his body. The feeling I got from him was near violent, but not in a way that was dangerous to me or anyone around us. Jason had a constant pit of roiling anger buried inside of him. It's what he tapped into when he needed to be dominant and flash his colors. He used it now to fight the pain.

No, not fight. Absorb. He was taking that pain of fire and throwing into that pit of anger, fueling it.

I threw my own pain down that connection of power we shared, giving him more. His power ate it up, shoving it where his own went.

And when the burning was done, a bowl of saltwater was poured over the burns.

This pain was sharper and I had to bit my lip hard enough to bleed to keep from making a noise. I shoved that pain down the powerline again, giving it to Jason.

Walker's voice filled the clearing. "As is my right as pack leader, I declare this male and female a true mated pair."

A roar louder than I'd ever heard was thrown from the throats of the wolves and into the night.

Power tightened the air as they all let loose, and finally, _finally_ , I let my power free to mix with theirs. The gobbled it up, accepting mine as their own. The drums started up again, pulsing with the power. No, the drums were directing the power.

Jason's arm slipped around my waist, pulling me against his hard body. Leaning down, he nipped my bottom lip and growled.

"Mine," he whispered hoarsely against my mouth.

I dug my nails into his shoulders, pulling him closer. "Mine," I growled.

The kiss was soul-consuming and nowhere near decent.

 **JasonPOV**

The drums pounded. The wolves howled. Energy and power bit at our skin.

But neither of us cared as our bodies carried us around the fire, pulsing to the drum beats and the calls of our people.

Piper was pressed back into my body, her back to my chest, ass against my hips. Our skin slid together, slicked by sweat. The cascade of her black hair stuck to both of us as we danced.

This dancing was not some elegance taught in a ballroom. It was the kind that was performed thousands of years ago for rain, good crops, peace, or victory in battle. More so the last than the others.

What my body was doing against my mate's was almost violent, pushing and pulling her where I wanted her. But she followed my movements. Where my body went, she followed. We grinded against each other, the blood on our skin already smeared or flaking off. We were very nearly having sex standing up. Piper was sensual and liquid, lost to the call of the drums and power. Her arms came up around my head to pull me down. I ran my lips against her bare shoulder, wanting nothing more than to bite her. I wanted to sink my teeth into every inch of her, my wolf crazed for the taste of her. Especially as we finally saw what was wrapped around her upper arm. The tie that she'd taken from me on our first date.

I growled as I touched it, running my fingers over the subtle design.

The young children had already been taken back to the cabins to bed down for the night. But my night with Piper was just beginning. We still had to consummate the mating as well as perform the First Hunt as mated pair. The mating wouldn't just be a one-and-done type of deal. It was likely to last until dawn.

"I'm ready," she sighed.

Our powers, wolves, were still connected, so she knew where my thoughts were.

There was a meadow that the elders of the pack had cleansed and declared sacred. It was a place of power, and that was where we'd mate for the first time, offering our power, both individually and combined, to the space.

Setting my teeth into her ear, she moaned. "Then run with me," I breathed.

Her amber eyes met mine over her shoulder. The grin was all alpha female and sex.

And before I could catch her, she threw herself into the crowd. Like water, they moved for her and she danced around them, laughing.

Growling, I followed. Hands and fur touched my body. Growls and yips and howls followed us as I ran after my female.

It took some time to push out of the mass of bodies, but she was waiting for me, dancing on the balls of her feet. As soon as I cleared the last wolf, she took off into the woods, following a different call of power, this time coming from the meadow. I could feel it beckoning me through the trees, calling for me to follow my mate.

Throwing myself into the darkness, I followed Piper's scent. She was a good distance a head of me, but I could feel her growing urge for sex. Not making love, but raw, pounding sex. She knew that tonight was not for making love, and she was ready for it. Her scent cranked me higher, forcing me into the woods. I was helpless against the scent and the call. She was my female and I wouldn't be able to walk away from her until I made her mine. She already was, but whatever allowed the power to differentiate, knew that we hadn't been proper mates until now. The energy that buzzed in the air demanded to take Piper, demanded that I put her underneath me and make her mine. The wolf was the same. He couldn't wait to have her. Piper and I had yet to rub our beasts through each other on a metaphysical level. What we'd done earlier had been minor compared to what needed to be done to cement the mating.

Soon, I saw flickers of firelight from the torches set into the ground around the perimeter of the meadow. I could also see the outline of Piper, her silhouette against the ceremonial white blanket that we were to mate on. She was standing at the edge of the woods, staring down at the blanket. The predator in me watched her, slowing my body in the shadows. She didn't sense me, didn't know that I was right behind her. I eased my power down so that he couldn't see into my head as I stalked toward her on quiet feet. A low growl started in my chest as the wolf came up to share space in the forefront of my mind.

She stepped closer to the massive blanket, her toes touching the edge. I watched as she swallowed hard, her hands clenching and releasing as her body undulated.

I grinned. She was picturing what we were about to do on that blanket, what I was going to do to her. The scent of her arousal went up a few notches, shoving itself into my sinuses.

My wolf urged me forward, and I didn't refuse as I burst from the trees to slam into her.

She didn't have time to call out as I bodily put her down onto the blanket on her stomach.

Growling and snarling, I ripped gauze away from her body, not caring that blood showed where my claws had grazed her skin. There wasn't one sane thought in my mind as Piper went up on her arms and pushed her ass back against me. I clawed at the fastenings of the pants and didn't even bother to take them off as I gripped my erection.

Her dress was still hanging from her upper body as I shoved inside of her. This time, she did cry out, but didn't pull away.

There wasn't a capacity for words for either of us. We were all growls and snarls as I first gripped her hips and then a handful of that midnight hair. The fucking was fast and frenzied. By the end of the night, we'd both be bleeding, but she'd have it worse from the inside. But I couldn't bring myself to care. Piper was strong and would heal herself. Not to mention, she knew what tonight would be like and had accepted it.

The power between us built with every thrust until we were drowning, choking on it. The rites performed in the meadow couldn't drink it down fast enough, their magick calling for more and more from us. And as that ancient energy demanded of us, we kept going until there were scratches down Piper's shoulders, back, and ass. She reached back to scratch at my hips. I gripped her arms above the elbows so that I was now holding her weight. Her hands came back with claws to scratch at me as she moaned and cried out. The sound of flesh on flesh was loud and constant, but there was no rhythm because were both wild, trying to get to the end of the frenzy. But the rites were coaxing the power from us, soaking it up.

Eventually, my wolf snarled at the demands, the sound coming out of my human throat. That other power backed off like a snake slithering back into its hole in fear. Coming forward down the line connecting me to Piper, my wolf wrapped around hers. Behind my eyes, I could see them tangle together, nipping and licking at each other. The energy between us tightened, and the next thrust of my hips was my last as the orgasm tackled me, tightening my body to freeze deep inside of hers. Piper screamed out, her claws digging into the flesh of my arms.

With our release, the building energy between us was likewise released. It flowed out around us like water flooding a plain. The grass and trees sighed, whispering in the breeze that had come from our bodies. The torches flickered.

Collapsing on Piper's back, I held myself up with my arms, barely. She supported both of our weight, breathing heavily. I could hear the hoarseness of her voice before she even spoke.

"Jesus," she whispered.

Nuzzling my way through her hair, I kissed the nape of her neck. I let one arm collapse and I fell to the side, bringing Piper with me. We were tangled in her hair and our ripped-up clothes, blood, both ours and that of my kill, smeared between us. We both laid there, panting.

Slowly, my wolf receded, finally content to having his mate. Piper's wolf followed, and they hunkered down together, settling between our bodies even though there was no space between them. It was metaphysical.

Again, Piper was the first to talk. "We're supposed to do that all night?"

I managed a chuckle and kissed her shoulder. "As long as we were together just once tonight, we're fine. We can sleep if we want."

She ran her hands over my arms where they held her around the waist. Her claws were gone, but the tips of her fingers ran over the claw marks. "I'm not done," she claimed in a low voice. "You did your taking. After we rest, it's my turn."

A growl rumbled out of me at the territorial tone.

Already, I could feel those ancient rites sneak out of the snake hole to prod at us. It wanted more.

Ignoring it for now, I fingered the tie wrapped around her arm. "I can't believe you still have this."

I could hear the smile in her voice as her fingers joined mine. "I keep in my bedside drawer. If you'd looked in there, you'd have seen it."

"But why'd you keep it?"

"How could I not? It was our first date, but more than that, that was the first time I didn't feel completely alone. You made me feel beautiful."

I kissed her shoulder again, leaving my lips against her skin. "You _are_ beautiful. Every time I look at you, I think you're a goddess and I somehow got to be the lucky bastard to sleep beside you at night."

She moved so she could look at me over her shoulder. "You do more than sleep beside me. I wouldn't be who I am now if wasn't for you barging your way into my life. You make me strong, Jason. Stronger than I ever thought possible."

Leaning up, she grabbed my lips with hers. The rites pulsed again, and I finally gave into the primal magick. If the rites were living, I'd say they didn't want us talking. They wanted our bodies to dance together, to create more power for them to drink down.

Piper broke the kiss to roll over and push me onto my back. She slipped the rest of gauzy dress down her arms before moving to my feet. Together, we got the leather pants down my legs and thrown somewhere else.

Through hooded eyes, I watched her crawl up my legs. Her wolf was close to the surface because her body moved like there were muscles under the skin that shouldn't be there in her human form. Her heavy breasts swayed with the lithe movement, and under her, I grew hard, my cock twitching against my belly. She stopped when her mouth was over my erection and looked down. She studied the length as though deciding how to eat it. But instead, she did a push up over my hips and dragged her tongue from my balls to the ridged head that was already pounding.

Groaning, I closed my eyes and slammed my head back into the ground.

But she was already licking her way up my body. Tongue and lips caressing my skin. The magick of the rites pulsed again, urging. Our power filled the space once more and I didn't stop it as my wolf came back to the surface.

When Piper finally flicked her eyes to my face, I knew she didn't fight it, either. Those amber eyes were bright and gorgeous in her tanned skin and dark hair. That hair spilled around us both, brushing my legs, sliding against my erection as she crawled up my body. At her fingers, black claws grew again. She moved so that she was sitting on my hips, her core resting over top of my erection. The heat of her nearly had me orgasming, but she distracted me enough to keep my release in check. Bring those hands up, she drummed her claws on my chest. Amber gaze meeting mine, I saw the contemplation in them just before she sank the tips into my skin and dragged them down my torso.

Throwing my head back, I yelled out, but not in pain. The orgasm came barreling back, and I felt myself jerk, my release hot on my skin as her body trapped me between us. Claws still in my flesh, she rubbed herself over me, coaxing the orgasm from me. While my body did its thing, Piper leaned over to lick the blood from my chest.

"Piper, please," I grunted as I gripped her thighs.

Those were the last words that were spoken for a while as she complied with my wishes and sat up on her knees, high enough to lift my erection and sit down hard on it. She was hot, wet, and tight as she rode me, rode the power. Her body danced in a writhing rhythm that occasionally had her grinding on me. The magick of the rites thickened and danced with our power, power that twisted and danced between us. With every sway of her hips, the mating bond tightened, and I could feel Piper's power flow into my body.

If her power had a color, it would have been a deep purple. And I could see it rub through my mind like silk. Everywhere it touched, I felt a type of fortification. She was throwing up battlements in my head, protections. Her own shields tightened around mine, offering strength. I didn't remember consciously doing it, but my own power reached out toward her. We offered her our own strength. My power wasn't silk, but leather. Harder to penetrate, built for protection. My strength was a physical one whereas hers was mental and emotional.

Piper rode my body, her head thrown back in pleasure. The scars of my teeth were still white in her skin at the base of her throat. Her breasts lifted and fell with her breaths, swaying when her hips did. I ran my hands over her possessively, my claws sliding free.

She made a sound low in her throat as if begging me. Obliging her, I sank the tips into her skin but not too far. I couldn't bear to hurt her more than scratching. The females were expected to rip up the males in their pleasure, but it was up to the male how much he clawed up his female. I knew Piper could handle whatever I gave her, so it was for my peace of mind that I just left scratches behind.

A sexy moan slipped from her lips as I trailed my claws over her body, lightly catching a nipple. Her body jerked as she gasped, her fingers going to the top of her sex. She was ready to orgasm. Her touching herself was her way of both telling me she needed release and to push herself closer to the edge.

Growling, I moved her hand to replace it with mine. Whimpering, she planted her palms on my chest, hung her head, and sped her pace, her body falling harder and harder on mine as though she was trying to shove as much of me inside her of her as she could. I could admit that I wasn't small and not average, but she ran out of inches and connected with my hips every time, taking everything I had. So, keeping my thumb pressed to her clit, I slipped a finger up inside her to thrust with my cock. It was a wild feeling, tight and just on this side of pain as her body squeezed down.

I curled my finger forward.

Eyes flying open, she gasped, "Jason."

And then she screamed, her body grinding hard into mine.

Barking out a curse, I followed her into orgasm. This time, it was so strong that my body curled up and around hers while we both writhed and twitched.

A growl ripped from her throat as she flung herself away from me and started to shift. As my body continued jolting, I watched fur flow and the bones move silently. It still amazed me how fast and quiet her shift was.

In my head, my wolf wanted to follow so I let him forward to slip my skin.

But something was different. There was no pain as my body broke and reformed. Faster than it'd ever been, I was on my side, blinking at Piper.

 _Power,_ the wolf whispered through my head.

I stared wide-eyed at my mate. In our exchange of power, she'd given me the gift of her fast shift.

Getting to all for paws, I stretched and padded over to her. She was still lying on her stomach, watching me. She kept her head on her paws and rolled her eyes up to me. It was a submissive gesture, and one I couldn't help but feel a sense of male pride of. She knew our lines, just as I did. We'd talked about it. Even though she was more powerful than I was, she still wanted me to be the alpha, dominant male except for when her pack went to her.

Leaning down, I licked her muzzle and made my way over her face. The cleaning of mates was sacred. She let me do it before she stood and cleaned my muzzle and face.

After a moment, I nudged her. It was time for our hunt. If we could track, hunt, and kill together as wolves, it would solidify our bond even more.

I had no doubts in our abilities whatsoever.

 **PiperPOV**

Even in wolf form, my body hurt from the rough sex. The hunting hadn't helped either.

We'd caught a feisty young doe that hadn't wanted to go down without a fight. For the killing blows, I had let the wolf take over because, at heart, I was an animal lover. But the wolf was hungry, so I didn't feel as bad as Jason and I dragged the doe back to the meadow. Christa had explained the rites that had been performed in the meadow and had talked like they were alive. Now I knew what she'd meant. The mated pair's kill was a type of sacrifice and our mated power an offering to the ancient powers-that-be that the elders of the pack still observed.

Now, we dropped the doe a ways from the "mating blanket". Jason nudged me to eat first while he sat back to watch. He was a massive grey beast with bright amber eyes; I was much smaller compared to him.

Those eyes darkened as I lowered my body to feed. Again, I let the wolf forward while she devoured what she wanted. Jason made sure we ate the best of the meat before he even came forward. I could feel the rites accept the sacrifice as Jason finished eating.

Then he came to clean my muzzle once more, licking up every bit of blood and gore until my coat was white instead of red. After that, it was my turn to clean him. The wolf savored the taste of the blood. And I was glad that I didn't mind, either through riding the power or just because I didn't care.

When I got back to his muzzle, he nipped at me.

Pulling back, I looked up into his eyes to find a very male look there. So I started to back off. I knew what that look meant. He wanted to chase me, to catch me. The thrill of the hunt was still firing in his veins; I could feel it like a buzz under my skin. The feeling ruffled my fur as I turned and ran for the woods as fast as my paws could carry me. Jason managed to give me a head start before I heard his snarl and the pounding of his paws in the dirt.

I dodged roots and darted the brush, but I knew he'd catch me. He always did.

I pulled far enough ahead that I stopped and listened, my heart pounding. There was nothing around. Birds chirped, rodents scurried, leaves rustled.

And then everything went quiet just before Jason leapt in front of me. He skidded in the dirt before getting his footing and stalked toward me.

Hunkering low, I turned to run but he was on me before I made it five feet. Growling, he bit the ruff of my neck and, with his considerable weight, forced me down to my belly before mounting me. Even in wolf form, I grunted.

Wolves weren't one of the animals to mate for pleasure, but we weren't natural wolves. Our wolves had a few human instincts, and one of them was pleasure. Jason had earned his right to mount us, to take us. He'd caught us. And my wolf loved that he forced us down, forced us to submit. We were his when it came to pure animal law. So as his fangs sank into fur and skin, we took everything he gave us until his massive body froze over us, a snarl rippling. Pleasure rippled through both of us, through my human mind. The release in wolf form was far different, milder but no less pleasing. For Jason, it seemed to be different, but that might be because he was embracing all of his alpha glory.

When all was said and done, Jason released my neck and tiredly came around to lay next to me. He licked the side of my face to get me to look at him, a question in his amber eyes. I gave him a wolfy grin as best I could and licked at his lips.

He huffed and shook his head.

Leaning over, I rubbed my face against his shoulder, scooting my tired, achy body next to his.

We laid like that for a long time before Jason stood up and motioned me to follow.

Back in the meadow, we both shifted back.

Jason stood and stared at me in wonder.

"What?" I asked, my throat raw from having not used it since shifting.

Coming to me, he wrapped his arms around me. "The shift doesn't hurt anymore. You gave me some of your power."

I rubbed my hands up his chest. "And you gave me yours. I can feel your strength running through me. It's amazing."

Chuckling darkly, he nipped my chin. "That's what it's like to be a male."

Giving him a dry look, I slapped his shoulder.

When I turned away to head back for the blanket, he gripped my hips to pull me against his body. He was hard. Again.

Sighing in pleasure, I rested my head back against his chest. "Why are we so…"

"Horny?" he finished with a smile against my ear.

I smiled, too, but nodded.

"It's the rites," he said low. "The magick calls for power and we're one of the most powerful couples in either pack. It's an endless loop. The elders will come drag us out at dawn. They'll save us from fucking each other to death."

I chuckled and rubbed my ass against him. "That doesn't sound like that bad of a way to go."

"Mmm," he hummed in my ear. "No, but I'd prefer to live longer than my mating night. I want thousands more nights with you."

Turning in his arms, I reached up to cup his face. Without saying anything, I went up on my toes to give him gentle kiss. It was softest touching we'd done all night. Setting back down, I lifted my left hand to look at the burns. Jason took my hand and kissed a few lines.

"How does it feel? Any pain?"

I shook my head. "I guess my healing kicked in. What about you?"

He lifted his right hand and shook his head. "No, but I think it's supposed to still hurt. I guess you healed me, too."

Taking his hand, I copied him, kissing the lines. "I love these. Better than any wedding band."

He smiled. "Does that mean I still have to buy you a ring?"

Staring at our hands, I considered. "No. Only if you really want to. I'm content with this. I love them."

Leaning in, he kissed me softly. "Then maybe later down the road. For now, we'll enjoy these."

I nodded as he led me back to the blanket and our shredded clothes.

 **JasonPOV**

Hours later, when our bodies were finally sated and a couple more deer had been consumed, Piper and I finally settled.

The "blanket" was so big that we could still lay on it and cover ourselves at the same time.

We fell asleep with me spooning her, my face buried in her hair against her neck.

But something woke me up, not enough to be alert. There was a rustling in the trees. The meadow was now dark after the torches had died down. Clouds covered the stars and the light of the moon, shrouding us in darkness.

After raising my head, I went still and looked around. My senses weren't firing and the wolf inside me was drowsy, full on the rush of sex, power, and food.

Shaking my head, I chalked the sounds up to the creatures that belonged to the woods and cuddled back down around Piper.

If I dreamed or woke up again, I didn't remember.

I didn't wake again until the elders were standing at the edge of the meadow at dawn.

* * *

 **Honestly, we are getting so close to juicy drama. I just have to nudge us along. But I knew that since I didn't give you guys Jules and Bray's honeymoon, I needed to give you some Piper/Jason action because I know we all love Jason. Anyway, I gotsta go! Love ya'll xoxoxox until next time!**


	20. Chapter 20

**So a little more fluff from another couple. We see a POV from Jacob; I gotta keep the originals around, right? And it seems that Ava will work her way back into the story, so we'll see where her character goes. However, we are about to start getting into more drama. One reader asked if we could see what the night of the full moon is like for our packs. I may or may not be able to work with that. I don't really have any ideas that could pertain to the storyline. This chapter is actually pretty big for the storyline even though it seems fluffy and just overall dramatic. But we'll see. It all depends on what comes to me when I start writing. Hmmm, I feel like there were other things I was going to address but I can't remember them at the moment. If I didn't answer your questions, shoot me a PM.**

 **Anywho! On with the show!**

 **Please enjoy!**

* * *

 **PiperPOV**

At dawn, Jason woke me up with kisses to my closed eyes, nose, and mouth. Then he wrapped me up in the blanket and followed the elders out of the woods. Apparently, others would come to collect the deer carcasses to strip down and use for parts.

The elders didn't speak, so neither did we. But they led him to our cabin. And as they did, wolves started to howl as if welcoming us back, celebrating. Calls of other animals joined those voices, letting me know where my own pack was. By now I could discern which voice belonged to which pack member. I heard Dakota's tiger call mix with Maggie's snow leopard as well as others of my little pack. The elders waited outside while Jason took me up to our room to deposit my naked body in the bed before taking them the blanket. Though he was fine being naked around anybody, he refused to let anybody else see me that way.

I was grinning into my pillow when he came back into our room. After last night, even his walk was different. He stood straighter, shoulders square, chin higher. There was a ferocity to his blue eyes as he took in his surroundings and then me, waiting for him in bed. He crawled onto the foot of the bed while I fingered the scars on my left hand.

As he moved up my body, he planted soft kisses here and there. They weren't meant to arouse me, but to soothe.

"How do you feel?" he asked in a low voice when he finally got my neck and buried his face there in my hair.

I cupped his face and pulled him back so that I could look in his eyes when I said, "Amazing. Last night was…amazing. And I'm glad it was all with you."

Wrapping me in his arms, he turned us onto our sides. His hands slowly smoothed up and down, petting me. "I can't believe we did it, that you're officially mine."

I frowned while my own hands did some petting.

"What?" he asked.

Smiling a little, I shook my head. "It's a happy day. No heavy talk."

His thumb rubbed my bottom lip. "No, talk to me. Was it the 'mine' comment? Do you not want-,"

Pressing my fingers to his mouth, I shook my head. "Don't be stupid. Of _course_ I'm yours. I will _always_ be yours." I bit my lip and decided, fuck it. I just dove in. "It's just that…the other day, when Bray and Jules came back, at the dinner, you completely flipped a switch within a few minutes. What happened?"

Those beautiful blue eyes studied me before he rolled onto his back, shoving a hand behind his head. But he kept the arm wrapped around me, fingers circling on my lower back. "You were right. I'm pushing myself too much, not trusting my own men. Walker does take breaks to spend with his family, so I should learn from his example. And all those people in that house, I do love them. They're the family I never got to have, and that's what I want for Liam. He and Cordy are the same age; they should be playing together, growing up together. The packs need to start mingling more because of how many couples have formed from the two, especially with Dox and Ryell. So, that night, before I came back inside, I made a promise to myself that I'd talk to Walker about days off. Elias is still around, still my second. I should trust him to run the enforcers when I'm not there because he helped me rebuild them. And I'm sorry. I'm sorry for everything I've been doing wrong."

Leaning in, I ran a hand down his chest and shook my head. "No, Jason. You haven't done anything wrong. It's commendable that you're so committed to your job. I love that about you. And I love how committed you are to my little pack and your siblings. They trust you and look up to you even though you're still young. We both are. We're both still young, madly in love even after years of being together, and now newly mated. We need to remember what it's like to have fun, not just work." I grinned. "Remember when we would just dance around in our underwear?"

He smiled now, holding me tighter.

I traced his lips with a fingertip. "I didn't mean to make you feel bad about yourself. I love everything about you. I just want my male back every now and then."

Now he turned his head to look at me. "Then your male you shall have. I promise."

Pushing up, I lifted my face to his and waited.

He knew what I wanted as he lowered his lips to mine.

"Thank you," I said softly.

Reaching up, he pushed my hair back. "Anything for you. Absolutely anything."

 **JacobPOV**

I woke up earlier than I'd wanted when wolves started howling on the compound.

Beside me, Ness groaned and mumbled, pressing her face into my arm.

We were in an unfamiliar room decorated in tans and reds. It was a guest room at Walker's place. Ness and I had decided to stay here after the party.

Groaning, I rubbed a hand over my face and decided to get up. There wasn't a bathroom to each room in Walker's cabin so I donned my jeans from the night before. They were stiff from the rain and mud, but I didn't have any other clothes here. Ness murmured before grabbing onto a pillow and falling back to sleep.

Leaving her be, I went to find the bathroom and then some coffee.

Christa was already awake, sitting at their dining table with Wren and Shelby. They were talking quietly about the mating ceremony and whether or not Jason and Piper were okay.

Christa noticed me first. She smiled over her coffee mug. "Hey, Jake. Nice bedhead."

Scowling in her direction, I rubbed a hand through my hair and went for the coffeemaker. Wren and Shelby laughed as I joined them.

"Rough night?" Shelby asked, smirking as she took a sip from her own mug.

I refused to talk before I had my first good pull out of my mug. When I felt the good stuff hit my soul, I sighed and set the mug down. "What do you think?" I stretched until my back popped. "I'm too old to party like that." But the sex after had been amazing. I should have felt bad for using Christa's spare room like that, but I didn't. She'd understand. Besides, Ness and I would clean it up. We weren't barbarians.

They all laughed again, and I reached out to ruffle Wren's messy hair.

At fifteen now, he was the typical teenager. He pushed my arm away. "Good thing you don't look as old as you really are," he shot at me.

Raising my brows, I gave him a smile.

Christa and Shelby tried to fight their own laughter.

"That's enough out of you, kid," I said playfully. "Just wait until you get my age."

He grinned. "I gotta ways to go, Uncle Jake."

"Yeah, yeah," I grumbled and picking up my coffee again.

Christa chuckled and stood up. "I guess I should start on breakfast since people are starting to wake up."

"I'll help," Shelby said.

I was nearly done with my first cup of coffee when someone else came in from one of the downstairs rooms. She was already dressed in jeans and a green sweater.

"Uncle Jake?"

"Good morning, Ava. What's up?"

She stopped to stand beside me. Her brown eyes looked from me to those in the kitchen. "I was wondering if we could talk. In private."

Frowning, I set the cup down and stood up. I hadn't seen my niece in a while and had been surprised when she'd shown up for the ceremony. As far as I knew, she as well as my sisters were trying to avoid the packs at all costs.

"Sure," I said, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. I led her to the downstairs office since it was soundproof, and I didn't want her out in the cold. Walker wouldn't mind.

When the door was shut, I went to lean against the desk and crossed my arms.

Ava took a minute to look around. Like my sisters and me, she looked like the typical Quileute female. Russet skin, long black hair, high sculpted cheekbones, and brown eyes. She was tall because of her mother and Paul, and slender because her siblings kept her busy.

"I was surprised to see you at the ceremony," I said quietly. "I thought you were trying to avoid any pack stuff since…Paul."

Turning to me, she hugged herself but nodded. "I've found that I miss my family, and when Piper asked me to stand with her, I knew I couldn't say no. And I'm sorry that I've stayed away."

I rubbed my jaw and shook my head. "It's understandable, kiddo. I can imagine the past few years haven't been easy."

She shook her head. "No, but I'm better. I mean, I miss my dad every day, but I know that he wouldn't have wanted me to closet myself away. He'd want me to be with my family. But that's what I need to talk to you about."

I frowned. "What is it?"

She breathed deep before sitting down in one of the chairs in front of me. "I've been able to push through and get my feet under me, but Mom…she isn't doing well, Uncle Jake."

My heart sank, fear washing through me. The coffee turned sour in my stomach.

My niece shook her head again. "She's stopped going to therapy, stopped working on the business. Somehow, I've managed to keep it going, but I really don't know what I'm doing. She locks herself in her room for hours. I make sure Linley and Dane get to school, are fed and clothed. And Aunt Becca isn't doing well either. Leila's still gone, so it's like she lost two kids. Colton has Gage and Tate to keep him busy. But our moms are disappearing. They need you."

The breath punched out of me as if I'd been hit in the chest by a truck. Growling helplessly, I ran a hand through my hair. "I was giving them space. I knew they didn't want anything to do with the pack now."

She gave me a sad look. "I'm not saying talk to them as a member of the pack, but as their brother."

There was such sadness in her eyes that I asked, "Ava, how long has this been going on?"

Her voice was soft when she said, "A while." Then she looked up at me. "I was okay with taking care of my siblings and running things because it kept me busy, but being up here, seeing the love and support, I knew I didn't want to do it alone anymore. Mom needs help. The therapy was helping so I don't know why she quit going. I'm terrified about the anniversary of dad's death. I'm not with Aunt Becca a lot but I know that Tom is worried." Her eyes teared up. "I'm sorry I didn't come to you sooner. I just figured…" She dropped her gaze. "I figured you were too busy for us since we'd renounced the pack."

That last statement hit me like a bag of bricks, forcing me to kneel at her feet. I took her hands in mine. "Ava Elizabeth, I want you to listen very carefully to me. I will _never_ turn my back on my family. You, your siblings, my sisters, all of you are my family. Not just my own kids and my wife. The blame is not all on you. I should have been checking in, and I am so sorry that I wasn't." Reaching up, I cupped her face. "Let me get myself together and I will come down there as soon as possible."

Swallowing hard, she nodded, and the tears fell. After kissing her forehead, I stood up and brought her against my chest. I was still filthy from last night, but she didn't seem to care as she wrapped her arms around me and hugged hard, burying her face in my chest. I held her while she wept. Every tear that soaked through my shirt burned, reminding me how terrible of a brother and uncle I'd been. Both Rebecca and Rachel had yelled at me for the deaths of Henry and Paul. They'd sworn off the packs, saying they wanted nothing to do with any of us. Rebecca allowed Colton to make his own decisions, but I knew she'd been disappointed that he'd decided to make friends with Gage and Tate and had decided to accept the phase if it happened. We all expected it to, and I wasn't sure if my sister would turn her back on her own son.

Lowering my head to kiss her hair, I said, "You are always welcome here, Ava. And you can always come to me for anything. Jules and Piper miss you. They all do, but they wanted to respect your decision."

She nodded. "I know," she said with a sniffle. "That's why I'm not mad at them. I've missed so much because of my decision. They aren't to blame for that."

I hugged her tighter. Ava had always been calm and rational, quiet and watchful. "We would love to have you around. The kids could use your calming touch."

She huffed a laugh, her breath warm on the wetness of my shirt. Pulling back, she wiped her cheeks. "I've heard about the drama."

I snorted. "Well, whatever stories you've heard, magnify it."

Now she full out laughed. But it dwindled fast. "I'm really worried about Mom."

I nodded. "I am, too. I promise you that I will get down there. Today or tomorrow. Can I ask…does she blame Jules? Mara?"

Now she avoided looking at me as she sighed. "I really don't know. She won't talk to me. But I know I don't blame anybody but the bad guys. Those witches…they took so much from us. Not just my family and Aunt Becca's, but also Jason's. Almost Aunt Ness and Jason, himself. I heard about what happened. Things could have been much worse. And though I miss Dad so damned much, I know that he knew he was risking his life. He did it to protect me, Mom, Dane, and Linley. He was protecting us all. I tried to hate him for leaving us, but I just couldn't. I'm proud of him, wherever he is. And I hope he's proud of me."

"Oh, honey," I said, reaching out to stroke my thumb down her cheek. "I know he is. He was always proud of his kids no matter what. Paul was bull-headed, that's for sure, but man, he loved you. He was so proud of the way you handled that kid from before Will phased. He was so pissed, but you just shrugged it off. He couldn't believe how strong you were. I remember the day you were born and seeing him hold you, the way he looked at you." I shook my head before lowering it. "Between you and me, I've never seen him that scared in all the time I knew him."

She laughed through more tears. "Really?"

I nodded. "Really. He was so scared to be a dad, but he was determined to be what you needed him to be. If we could imprint on our kids, he would have done it that night, as soon as he saw you. You and your siblings meant the world to him, and that's why he fought."

When the weeping started again, I pulled her against me once more, letting her cry her pain and grief onto my chest.

Determination swept through me. I would make it up to her, her siblings, and my sisters. I'd neglected my family, and that was going to end.

 **GagePOV**

Something hit my chest.

"Get up!" someone hissed.

I groaned.

"You stupid idiot!" that voice hissed again and started tugging on my arm. "Get up!"

Realizing that I recognized that voice, my eyes snapped open. Tate was standing over me with wide, horror-filled eyes. He was the one tugging on my arm.

"Gage!"

"What?" I growled.

In my ear, another voice moaned. Softer. Feminine.

My eyes widened as I turned my head. Nechole's head was resting on my shoulder. And once I noticed that, I saw that we were in her room in the cabin she shared with her sisters on the compound. My torso was bare, and I could see the straps of the dressed she'd worn at the mating had slipped down her arms. The fabric was dangerously close to sliding down her chest.

"Oh, fuck," I breathed.

"Yeah," Tate snapped quietly. "Get. Up. Get up and get dressed. We gotta get you out of here before Embry comes to check on them."

As gently as I could, I eased out from under her and then hurriedly slipped into the shirt that Tate threw at me. Then he was pulling me to the door.

We ran all the way to one of the guest cabins that the two of us had been using, and both of us were panting as soon as the door was closed behind us.

"Jesus," Tate panted.

"Oh, God," I said in terror. "Did we…we didn't…?"

Tate shook his head. "No, you two didn't have sex."

I gave him a look. "How do you know?"

Now he glared at me. "Because I kept an eye on you, idiot. I didn't eat or drink near as much as you did so the aphrodisiac didn't melt my common sense. But I didn't expect you to sleep all fucking morning. I was waiting for you for at least two hours."

Breathing a sigh of relief, I collapsed into one of the seats at the kitchen table.

"I saw you and Nechole slip off last night, so I followed you to make sure you didn't do anything stupid."

"And this is why you're my best friend."

He snorted. "Don't think I'm not gonna make you pay me back for this. You so owe me. I should have just let Embry-,"

A knock on the door made us both jump.

And then share a look.

When we just stared at the door, frozen in terror, there was another knock.

"Come on, boys," Aunt Tricia said from the other side. "Open up."

The blood drained from my head as Tate went pale. Neat trick for someone with russet skin. Slowly and carefully, Tate reached out to open the door as if he was scared she'd bust through.

Outside, Tricia was standing with her arms crossed and eyebrows up. "Morning, boys. Either of you wanna tell me why I saw the two of you hotfooting it out of the cabin my daughters are staying in?"

Clearing my throat, I stood up. But Tate beat me to talking. "It's not what it looked like, Aunt Tricia. They didn't do anything. I was there and made sure nothing happened."

She narrowed those electric blue eyes at him. "Nothing?"

He shook his head. "I swear it, Aunt Tricia. There was some making out, but no touching and definitely no sex."

She frowned. "And you just…watched?"

Now, Tate floundered. He opened and closed his mouth a couple times. "I…um…it's not what you think?"

Confusion brought her brows down. "Are you asking me?"

He did the open mouth thing again before shaking his head. "I think it's time I stop talking."

To our surprise, she chuckled and walked into the kitchen, shutting the door behind her. "I believe you that nothing happened."

The adrenaline left my body and weakness had me planting back into the chair. "You do?" I asked.

She nodded. "I don't scent sex on you."

Suddenly feeling the need to hurl, I leaned over my thighs, pressing my forehead to my knees. "Oh, dear God."

Aunt Tricia rubbed my back. "Did you really think I was coming to kill you?"

I nodded, swallowing convulsively. "Very much so."

Her laugh was high and sweet. "Aw, Gage. Not today, sweetie. Nechole would kill me. And I promise not to tell Embry that you spent the night with his baby girl."

I closed my eyes. "I think my life is flashing before my eyes."

There was silence before Tate asked, "Is it eventful, at least?"

I shook my head. "Not in the least." And then I thought about it. "Well, maybe a little. Nechole."

I could practically hear Tate's eyes roll. Aunt Tricia stroked the hair at the nape of my neck.

"I don't remember anything from last night."

"I do, and you were a perfect gentleman," said a voice from the door.

I squeezed my eyes closed before sitting up to open them, finding Nechole in the doorway. She'd changed clothes from the party dress to some tight jeans and dark red long-sleeve tee. Her long, dark hair was in a braid over her shoulder, and she was wearing the necklace I had gotten her with a little star pendant. Those brown eyes watched me worriedly.

"Morning, sweetie," Aunt Tricia said.

After a moment, Nechole turned to her mom. "Morning, Mom." And then she was looking back to me.

Aunt Tricia slapped her hands on her thighs and stood up. "Well, I think I'm going to check on your father. He partied pretty hard last night."

And then she was gone, shutting the door behind her.

"Well," Tate said, imitating Tricia, "I'm going to go take a shower." He gave us both a look. "Don't do anything stupid."

Nechole walked toward me but talked to Tate. "I meant what I said, Tate. I remember last night; you watched us."

Tate froze, his broad shoulders lifting with a big breath before he turned. He stared at us before shrugging. "So, I like to watch. It's a kink of mine. I'm sorry if it bothered you," he said sincerely.

She looked at him around me and shook her head. "It didn't."

They stared at each other for a couple heartbeats before he nodded and turned away.

Nechole let out a breath and looked up at me. "You ran out like the house was on fire."

I huffed and sat back down. "No, just my fear for my existence." Scrubbing a hand down my face, I leaned forward, elbows on my knees. "Whatever happened last night, Nechole, I'm so sorry."

Sitting down in the seat her mother had vacated, she took my hand. "Nothing bad happened, Gage. It was one of our typical make-out sessions. Just with someone watching."

I frowned and looked toward the bathroom where the shower had started up. "You're really not upset about that?"

Biting her lip, she shook her head. "It's just who he is, and he didn't try anything. Kept his hands to himself. I may have even liked it. I can't really remember that part. Your mouth was doing something sinful to my neck and I couldn't concentrate." She said that last with a little smile.

I couldn't help the answering smile. "Well, I'm glad my performance wasn't hindered in my drug-addled state." My fingers played with one of the rings on her finger. "I'm sorry I freaked out."

She snorted. "Oh, I don't blame you for that. My dad is pretty scary, especially when it comes to his kids. If he had been the one to see you leave…" She shook her head. "That wouldn't have ended well. Especially with Tate saying he watched us."

The wince was unavoidable. "I love him to death, but the guy has some weird kinks."

Nechole laughed and leaned forward to kiss the corner of my mouth.

I smiled back but said, "And I'm not sure I like that he was watching us, watching you."

She brought a hand up to caress the side of my face. "Don't go all territorial on your best friend. He'd never try anything; you know that."

"She's right," Tate said from the bathroom doorway. He'd given me the master bedroom with the connected bath, so he used the communal bathroom. He was rubbing his hair with the towel. "She's _your_ female, Gage. Our friendship is more important to me than trying to get her into bed. And besides, she's not my type," he said with a smirk.

"That's true," Nechole and I said at the same time.

She laughed while I stared at her. "How would you know?"

Her grin was playful. "We had a heart to heart at Jules's wedding. I'm nowhere near submissive enough for him."

Tate and I both nodded in agreement.

"So," I said, gripping both of her hands. "Is there a reason you came by?"

She gave me a look. "You mean besides to soothe your guilty conscience?"

Tate laughed as he went to his room. "Boy, she knows you well."

I flipped him off before turning back to her. "Yes, besides that."

"Actually," she said with a smile. "I was wondering if you wanted to go get breakfast. I'm starving, and I really don't want to cook."

Bringing her hands to my mouth, I kissed her fingers. "I would love to get breakfast. Let me get a quick shower."

She was still nodding when I stood up and went for my room.

 **NecholePOV**

I sighed as I watched my boyfriend stride into his bedroom and close the door.

"He is rather pretty."

Frowning, I looked at Tate coming out of his room and slipping a shirt over his head. "What?"

"You heard me."

One brow went up. "You have a thing for your best friend? I thought you were all about the females?"

Shrugging, he went to the coffee maker and a mug. "Just because all we talked about were females doesn't mean that's all I sleep with."

Sitting there stunned, I stared at him before saying, "You…what?"

While the coffee brewed, he leaned back against the counter and grinned. "I never said I was straight. You assumed I am."

"Does he know?" I said with a wave toward the bedroom.

Tate hesitated, the amusement replaced with solemnity. He shook his head. "No."

"Why not? Are you…do you love him?" My heart thundered in my chest as I waited for the answer.

The frown went deep with wide eyes. "What? No. But just because I don't like him as more than a friend doesn't mean I can't appreciate that he's very attractive, especially when he's frisky. And so are you."

Flushing, I dropped his gaze and tucked a strand of loose hair behind my ear. "Oh." I frowned. "Um…I really don't know what to do with that."

The coffee gurgled its last drops and he filled a mug before sitting across from me. "I don't want you to do anything with it. I just wanted you to know that it wasn't just you I was watching last night."

Sitting there, I tugged my sleeves over my hands and wondered just what I was supposed to do. It seemed Tate was comfortable telling me things that he wouldn't even tell his best friend. I frowned. "Why don't you tell him you're bisexual? Are you scared he won't want to be around you anymore? Ash is gay, and everyone accepts and loves him. And Cole."

To that, he took in a deep breath. "It's not just telling him I'm bi. It's all that it involves. My sexual exploits have been…wild. I do things that make even me blush after the fact and I remember the event."

"Like what?" I dared to ask.

Shaking his head, he put down the mug. "No, Nechole. I don't want to put that on you. But I meant what I said when I told you I wanted a submissive female."

"What about a male?"

Some emotion crossed his face before I could read it. He hid it behind solemn eyes. "I can't end up with a male."

"Why not?"

"Because my father's bloodline needs to continue. Henry's dead and Leila took off. It's likely she'll never mate again, never have kids, if she even comes back. So that job is up to me."

Reaching across the table, I put a hand on his arm. "Tate, you can't control who you end up with. And you're putting too much on yourself. I'm sure Uncle Sam and Aunt Emily wouldn't care. They'd just want you to be happy. That's what we all want for each other. As for your sister, I'm so sorry. I know you miss her. But you can't think like that. Don't make yourself unhappy for some misguided sense of duty to your family. If having kids is something you want, then fine. Go that route. But if there's a male that you want, then don't push that away. You are your own person, and you deserve better than to be discontent the rest of your life."

Swallowing hard, he looked down at my hand. "If," he cleared his throat. "If I had a male, I'd want…want to be…" shaking his head, he looked away.

"You'd want to be dominated," I said softly.

After a moment, he nodded still looking away from me.

Leaning over the table, I put my fingers to his chin and turned him to look at me. There was such longing in his eyes. "There is nothing wrong with what you want, Tate. Do you hear me? Nothing. We are wolves, and we run on instinct, on following our gut feelings. You haven't found your mate yet, so there's no telling what's out there for you. Maybe you won't find that. Your life might be made harder for it because you'd have the room to choose for yourself, but if that's what fate wants for you, you can't question that."

He nodded but said quietly, "He's getting out of the shower."

I squeezed his hand, knowing our conversation was at an end. "If you need to talk about this to anyone, you can come to me. I won't tell anyone, not even him, okay? What we talk about is left between us."

When he nodded, I stood up and went around the table to hug him. I wrapped my arms around his head, holding him against my chest.

"It's okay," I whispered against his hair as his arms wrapped around my waist.

We were still hugging it out when Gage came out of his room in fresh jeans, black t-shirt, boots, and his leather jacket in his hand.

His brows went up. "Everything okay?"

Tate was slow in pulling back but he nodded. "Yeah, just having a moment."

"I can see that. Anything I can help with?"

Tate and I shared a look.

I shrugged a shoulder, trying to make light of it. "Just something that needs a female touch."

Gage's brows went up even more while he walked over to stand by me. "Female touch?" There was a slight growl to his voice.

Giving him dry look, I slapped the back of my hand against his chest. "Not like that. Chill." I looked to Tate. "Do you want us to bring you anything back?"

He shook his head. "Nah, I think I'm just gonna phase and run a patrol or two."

Gage held his fist out. Tate pounded his knuckles against it.

"Be careful," Gage said, and I realized that they normally ran together to have each other's backs.

Tate ducked his head in a nod. "You know it. Now, go feed your female. She's wasting away."

Letting out an exasperated sigh, I shook my head. "Boys, I swear. C'mon, Gage."

* * *

Gage was pulling his car into a free spot outside our favorite spot, far away from the café that Erik had always taken us to. I hadn't been back there since that horrible night Katie had gotten hurt. And Gage had made good on his promise that I'd never ever have to go back. So far, we hadn't run into him anytime we'd come onto the rez, but I knew we were testing Fate with how much we came down here.

Once the car was no longer between us, Gage took my hand, rubbing his thumb over my hand. "Good thing they're not busy yet," he said.

I chuckled. "It's still early, babe."

"True."

The door chimed over our heads as we walked in, Gage holding the door for me.

"Ah, Nechole! I haven't seen you and boyfriend in a couple days. I was beginning to worry." Ingrid's family owned the shop. She was old enough to be my mother, but she had that glint in her eye and smile on her face that said she was still gonna innocently flirt with all the boys.

I smiled back at the boyfriend comment. Gage and I had only officially come out as a tentative couple after the episode at the wedding, so it all still new to me that we were actually together. My relationship with Gage was already much less stressful than that of with Erik. "Sorry. We've been super busy lately."

"Uh-huh," she muttered suggestively with a wink at Gage.

He flushed but chuckled.

Neither of us bothered to correct her, telling her we weren't humping each other's brains out. Better her think we were crazy, hormonal teenagers than telling her of pack matings and various crises pulling us in different directions.

Toning down the flirtation, she grabbed a couple menus and smiled. "Your usual table is open."

We'd only been here twice to eat for dates, and we already had a table.

"Thanks," Gage said as he slipped out of his jacket and sat down across from me.

"Just wave when you're ready. I'll be at the counter. What can I get ya to drink?"

We both ordered waters and she left.

"So," Gage said, perusing his menu. "What was that about with Tate earlier?"

Huffing, I unraveled the flatware and put the napkin on my lap. "Like I said, it was just female advice he needed. I promise there's nothing going on."

He lifted his eyes before reaching out for my hand. "I know there isn't. I trust you both. It's just, I worry about him."

I gripped his hand. "I know; I do, too. We're all in that stage that we're trying to figure things out, and that's what he's doing."

"So, is there a female?"

I shook my head. "Gage, please. If it's something you can help with, I'll get him to talk to you. But right now, he's not ready for that. It's a sensitive subject."

Lifting his free hand, he ducked his head. "All right, I'm sorry for pushing. I'll trust that you're taking care of him."

I smiled. "As much as he'll let me."

He nodded in agreement as Ingrid put our drinks down. "Know what you want?"

"Um, I'll take the French toast with blackberries with a side of scrambled eggs and bacon."

"You got it," she said taking my menu. "And you, handsome?"

"Hmmm, how about the pancakes with sausage and potatoes."

She took his menu. "Sounds good. I'll get that right out."

He turned a smirk to me. "Blackberries?"

I groaned. "I love blackberries."

Chuckling, he played with one of the several rings that I liked to wear. Usually I didn't wear necklaces, but I loved the one he'd bought and given to me on our first date. It was nothing but a rose gold chain and a tiny little star pendant, but it was so simple and elegant that I didn't mind having it around my neck. The star sat in the hollow of my throat above the neckline of my sweater.

"I'll have to remember that," he said. And that was something he kept doing, making mental notes of things I liked and loved. His eyes flicked up to my face. "You're quiet."

Shrugging, I smiled a little. "I'm just enjoying this. It's hard to believe we were partying like barbarians last night and today we're just normal teenagers."

Bringing my fingers to his lips, his eyes were dark when he said, "You were beautiful last night. I think I forgot to tell you that."

"Thank you."

"You're very welcome. I know I take after Mom's side, but I have to say that I like the way the Children throw a party."

That made me laugh and grip his hand. "Right? Maybe we should ask them to throw my birthday party."

Laughing, he shook his head. "Nope. I already have that planned."

My eyes went wide. "What?"

"Yep."

"We haven't even been together for two weeks!"

"And?"

"You are…" I started off in irritation before softening my tone and smiling. "Amazing."

For a moment, he'd looked worried until I finished.

Until our food came, we sat there talking about random things. I tried several times to get him to tell me what he'd planned for my birthday, but he wasn't giving it up. He'd just get that glint in his eye and shake his head.

"You're infuriating," I said popping a blackberry into my mouth as Ingrid walked away to seat someone else.

There was a smug look on his face as he said, "I'm aware," and picked one of the berries off my plate and popped it into his mouth. "What happened to amazing?"

Shaking my head, I poured syrup over everything before digging in and groaning in bliss.

We were nearly done eating when we heard, "Well, well," in a sneering voice to my left.

I froze with anxiousness as Gage dropped his fork and wiped his hands over his plate.

"What do you want, Erik?" Gage demanded.

Erik ignored him and kept talking to me, leaning on the back of my booth seat. "Not even broken up a month and you're already banging the new guy. Or should I say the guy you were doing behind my back."

Gage growled. "That's enough."

I saw Erik smile over at my male. "How ya doin', Gage? It's been a while."

Gage's hand clenched into a fist. "I'd be better if you'd get away from Nechole and get the hell out of my face."

Again, Erik ignored him and leaned down into my ear. But he was looking at Gage when he said, "Tell me, does he _fuck_ like an animal? Does he share you with that freak best friend of his?"

Across the table, Gage was letting out a low snarl.

The restaurant had gone quiet around us.

Erik reached out to take something off my plate with a low laugh, but a hand caught his wrist.

Gage had been reaching out but stopped in surprise when he saw that it was me who moved. A low growl tumbled from my mouth as I squeezed down on his wrist. He grunted and tried to pull away, but I held him there as pure rage washed through me.

And then finally, I looked up at him.

What he saw in my expression made him pale.

"If you ever talk about Gage or Tate like that again," I threatened in a low vibrating voice, "I'll haunt you worse than any nightmare you've ever had."

With that, I threw his hand away from me and used my shoulder in his stomach to push him back. Instead of just moving a little, he ended up stumbling back against the wall, hitting hard. He stared at me in fear before scrambling to stand up and move away.

"Nechole," Gage called in a soothing tone. "Nechole, sweetie, calm down."

Slowly, I turned my gaze to him. Even he swallowed hard, but I said, "I don't want to calm down. I want to rip his face off."

And then I was rushing out of my seat, going for Erik's back. He was looking over his shoulder and when he saw me, his eyes went wide. Hurrying through the tables, he was trying to get to the door. I stalked him slowly while he tripped, the scent of his fear shoving itself up my nose.

"Shit," Gage hissed from the booth far behind. "Nechole!"

 **GagePOV**

 _Shit, shit, shit, shit!_

That one word was a mantra in my head as I followed Nechole out the door. She was slowly stalking Erik, who kept looking over his shoulder with utter terror on his face and tripping. I wanted to yell at him to just run, but my sole focus was on Nechole. And I didn't really think running was the best idea. It might set her off even more.

Running around her, I got in front of her.

Thankfully she stopped, but her gaze was all for Erik.

"Nechole, baby, please." I motioned behind me. "He means nothing. I don't care what he says or thinks about me or Tate."

Now those cold brown eyes stared up at me, and there was nothing human in that look. "Get out of my way," she growled.

As I stood there, I realized that we were in the middle of the street, people stopping to stare, cars parked and horns honking. She was about to change right here and attack Erik. I couldn't let that happen.

So, I put as much dominance into my tone as I could while I stared right back at her. "No. Go to the woods. Now."

Her lip lifted.

"Don't even think about it. You might be my female but that doesn't mean I won't manhandle you. You can't do this here," I said angrily. "Into the woods," I demanded. " _Now!"_

With my tone, she finally cooled, her head cocking to one side as she stared at me. I was the son of a wolf that was powerful enough to be a pack leader. I had the same power in my veins, at least I hoped so. She was my imprint, so I didn't understand why she was turning her anger on me. I was supposed to be either her true mate or imprint. And yet the anger just didn't care. No, the wolf inside of her didn't care. It just wanted out.

I reached out, palms out. "Nechole, just go to the woods. Change there. Please."

Zero understanding in that stare as she studied me.

"Boy, that was close," Erik said behind me. "Thanks, man. I thought the bitch was gonna tear my throat out."

My eyes squeezed down in defeat as I let out a breath and prepared for the worst. The stupid idiot hadn't taken off while everything was calm. Oh no, he had to come back to provoke her.

And he'd succeeded.

Her eyes went back over my shoulder and she exploded into a lunge. I jumped in front of her but caught claws down my neck and chest as she changed between one step and the next. There was no word for what happened. I couldn't tell if she'd phased or shifted as I caught her around her middle, her jaws snapping next to my ear.

"Nechole!" I yelled. "Nechole, stop!"

People were shouting out on the sidewalks, kids screaming. Blood was welling up in the wounds and sliding down my skin to soak in my shirt. They were deeper than I thought because there wasn't any pain, and that was a bad sign. I needed to get her into the woods or to change back or both before I passed out. I had a feeling that was going to happen with the amount of blood I was losing. It was getting all over her dark brown fur.

Grinding my teeth, I reached up to grab the scruff of her neck and hauled her back until we were nose to snout. "I said, stop!" I ordered.

Immediately, she stilled.

"Easy, Nechole. Easy." I kept saying her name, hoping it would click in her animal mind. Her eyes met mine, and I felt her calm down. All the wolf had wanted was to finally make an appearance, and now that it had slipped her human shell, she was thinking again. I could see Nechole's personality start to fill those amber eyes. I nodded. "That's right. Calm. I need you to get to the woods and wait for me." Her clothes were shredded, and if she couldn't hold onto the wolf form, I didn't want her walking around naked. And she wouldn't want that either. I gripped her tighter. "Do you understand? Get to the woods. I'll meet you there."

There was a moment of us staring at each other before she licked my cheek and dropped to all four paws. Her shoulders reached to my waist. But she kept her head down, ears down and tail down, as she walked for the woods. The road we were on was one that headed out of the rez and the restaurant we were at was on the way out. The woods weren't far away. I watched until she disappeared into the trees before moving for my car and the blanket in the trunk.

As I walked, I put my hand to the wounds. The shirt was shredded on one side, the scratches too deep. I could see muscle, and as I watched, more blood seeped out, dripping down my fingers onto the pavement. Weakness spread throughout my body with every step I took. The car seemed miles and miles away.

"Hey!" Erik snapped from where I'd left him. "You're just going to let her run around? She just tried to eat my face off!"

Stopping, I barely managed to keep from swaying as I turned. "Go fuck yourself, Erik. You provoked her. I almost had her calm and you had to shoot your fucking mouth off." I looked at everyone still staring with concern or fear. "She's not dangerous. That was her first shift, and often, anger is the only emotion to push us over the edge to achieve the first change. Don't be scared of us. We won't hurt you."

"Not on purpose," Erik said.

People shifted uncomfortably.

"Right now, Erik, I'd love nothing more than to beat your face in. But not because I'm a werewolf. It's because you're being an asshole to my girlfriend all because you're jealous that she chose me over you. You've been crude and mean, which is uncalled for. Even if I'd been human, I'd want to kick your ass for how you've treated her. So, get over yourself. Stop trying to turn the rez against us. All that we do is to protect our people. You're just _pissed off_ ," I spat, "that you didn't join the pack and that you no longer have an inside ear to our business."

Erik held his arms out. "The pack's business _should_ be our business."

I couldn't help but gape at him as well as take in the nods from the growing crowd.

I shook my head and swallowed the words I really wanted to say. Instead, I said in a loud voice, "If anyone here has a problem with how the pack is run, you should take that up with Jacob Black or any of his kids. William and Julene live here among you. Talk to them."

Several people backed down immediately, averting their eyes from me. Some even started to go about their business.

I gave Erik one last glare before trudging to the car. My vision was starting to go spotty as I opened the trunk and picked up the blanket, tucking it to my right side to keep the blood off of it. People watched and stared at me as I walked toward where Nechole disappeared. Kids either stared at me in fear or wonder, but I ignored all of them, concentrating on trying to get to the woods before I passed out. I knew the only reason I hadn't yet was because of the need to take care of my imprint.

Staggering into the trees, I didn't have to go far before Nechole was coming at me. She went up on her back legs to put her forepaws on my shoulders again, gently this time. Her eyes scanned the wounds she'd left behind, and she leaned forward to lick the ones starting at my jaw.

"It's okay, baby. I'll be fine. Just need a little rest."

Her eyes turned worried just before her body jerked. I caught her before she hit the ground as that wolf body convulsed its way back to human. Her eyes were squeezed tight, body tense in my arms.

"Gage," she gasped out.

"It's okay," I said, holding her against my body. "It's all right. I got you." Stroking her sweaty hair, I swept the ground with my boot to make sure there weren't any sticks or debris around before lowering her to the ground. Despite the need to caretake her, I was losing strength fast with the blood loss. And even in all my pain, I tried really hard not to stare at her nakedness. I'd like to say that I was a gentleman with a sense of honor, but I was a guy, and my hormones were horny bastards.

Once she was on the ground, I laid out the blanket before picking her back up and laying her on top of it.

Nechole curled into a ball. "It hurts, Gage."

If it hurt, she must have shifted. I shook my head. But she'd changed too fast. She wasn't an alpha anything. Maybe a dominant, but not alpha, not like Piper.

Shaking my head again, I shoved that useless thought away as I wrapped her up and struggled to pick her up. My body was not happy that I was forcing it to move. But I had to get us somewhere safe before I could even think of resting.

"I know, baby. I'm sorry. Pass out if you need to. It's all good. I got you."

At this point where we were on the rez, we were closest to Bray's place. So, I fought to put one foot in the front of the other until I got to that front door. It was a struggle to step over roots and shrubs and giant branches, but I gritted my teeth and pushed on.

When I finally got there, I had to kick the door until Jules answered it.

She gasped, taking us in. "Gage? What the hell happened?"

Swallowing hard, I stepped into the house. I wanted to answer but I could feel the tug of oblivion. "Take her. Please, take her. Now."

Bray was there a moment later, taking Nechole from my arms as I leaned forward.

They both shouted out as I fell to my knees.

"Gage!" Jules yelled just before I hit the floor.

And the world went dark.

 **DoxPOV**

Jason and I were sitting at the desk in the office my and Rye's new cabin on the compound going over notes for the party. Though we were waiting at least a couple weeks to throw it, Walker had already sent out the unofficial invitations, so we were going over security procedures and back-up plans. Jason had gone to Walker to try to talk about it, but Walker had insisted that Jason and I should start working together for the pack, which surprised the hell out of me. But I could see that he was trying to prepare me to start leading. Having a good relationship with the head enforcer was always a must for the pack leader. It also helped that Jason and I were pretty tight already what with having beat the shit out of each other. Something like that tends to create bonds, either good or bad. Luckily for us, it was good.

We were going over the back-up plans when Rye walked in, frowning while on her phone.

"Yeah, I'm grabbing him right now. We'll be over soon. Thanks for the call."

When she hung up, she was still frowning but blinked in surprise at Jason. "Oh, hey, Jason. I thought you and Piper would be holed up all day, celebrating."

Chuckling, he shook his head. "She kicked me out, saying she had some domestic things to do around the house."

"Huh," she said. "Figured the honeymoon stage would have lasted longer."

He grinned. "We've been living the honeymoon already for the past couple years. Besides, these plans really needed to be gone over before your coming out party."

To that, my mate rolled her eyes. "I still hate that we have to deal with that mess."

Jason shrugged. "It's customary. And it's a good way to keep allies close and see if they're still allies. But what's up with you?"

She flopped in a chair, looking exhausted. "Something happened with Gage and Nechole on the rez this morning." She looked at me. "Apparently, he showed up at your sister's place with claw marks down the left side of his body and Nechole naked and wrapped in a blanket in his arms."

Jason and I stared at her, mouths open.

"She shifted?" Jason asked. Then he corrected himself. "Actually, she must have phased. Nechole is strong but she's not an alpha. Unless someone forced the shift. But more to the point, she attacked him?"

Rye shook her head. "I don't know the specifics. They're both passed out at the Cullen place. Bray and Jules drove them up for Carlisle to stitch up Gage and look over Nechole. That was Katie on the phone. Since I'm trying for a closer relationship to my cousins, she thought I'd like to know. She asked if we'd drop by."

"Absolutely," I said immediately.

"Do you need me?" Jason asked.

Ryell smiled. "That's sweet, but I think they just want family around right now until we figure out what happened. Not," she said quickly, "that we don't consider you family."

Getting to his feet, Jason chuckled. "I know what you meant, Rye. It's all good. I'm gonna finish going over all this, run it by Elias, and then I have a meeting with your dad, so I'm pretty booked myself. Just call if you need anything."

"Good," Rye said, standing, too. "You need time off."

Jason shook his head in exasperation. "You females gossip too much."

I smirked and nodded in agreement.

But Rye just gave us both a look. "No, we gossip just enough to keep an eye on you males. Do you honestly think we don't know you talk about us and have each other agree to look after us? We're allowed to do the same."

Jason and I shared a guilty look.

Then he nodded. "Fine. Gossip all you want."

Rye smiled. "I wasn't asking for permission, but thanks."

Laughing, Jason hugged her before clapping my shoulder. "I think I'm gonna leave before I get into more trouble."

"I think that's a good idea," I said with a laugh.

Rye agreed as Jason saw himself out. As soon as he was gone, though, the smile dimmed. I got up and went to her.

Reaching out, I took her hand. "Hey, it'll be okay. We'll figure it out."

Sighing, she took my hand in both of hers. "It's just that this party, Nechole phasing, the attack on Casey…it's so much drama. But it's the attack on Casey that bothers me. It happened now, right before this big shindig for us. It doesn't feel right. I've got this pit in my stomach."

Gently taking my hand out of hers, I cupped her face to bring her eyes to mine. "Look, I can't guarantee that bad things aren't about to start happening. Or that they won't keep happening in our lifetime. All I can guarantee is that I'll be right beside you when whatever bad thing comes toward us, okay? We'll figure it out together and we'll deal with it together. Right now, we've done all we can about Casey's attack. All we can do is wait and go take care of Nechole and Gage. You told Katie we'd be over soon; maybe we should go."

Biting her lip, she nodded, still looking worried.

I kissed her forehead and brought her up against my chest. She hugged her arms around my waist and held on tight. I ran my fingers through her hair until I was cradling her head. Sometimes, when the shit hit the fan and you felt a panic attack coming, what you really needed was no talking and someone to hold you. And something told me that Rye was getting close to that limit, so that's what I did. I just stood there and held her while she took deep, calming breaths, rubbing her hands up and down my back.

One last deep breath and she pulled away. Her hands slid down my arms until they were holding mine. "Okay, I think I'm good."

"Yeah?" I asked with a smile.

She nodded. "No, but for the moment, I feel better."

Laughing, I pulled her in for another, quicker hug, and kiss to her hair. "Come on, let's go check on your cousins. Unless you want to go alone."

She hugged me back, squeezing before stepping back. "I think I just need to attach you to me until this party is over," she pouted.

Grinning, I waggled my eyebrows. "If that's what you want, I wouldn't complain."

Smiling, she gently slapped my chest. "Come on, weirdo. I want to go check on them."

Twenty minutes later, we were pulling up to the Cullen house.

We were walking up the porch steps when there was the sound of glass breaking.

"I _said_ I want to see him!"

"And I said no, Nechole!"

Nechole and Tricia were yelling it out in the house.

"Shit," Rye whispered.

"What?"

She gave me a look. "Nechole has a fiery temper on a good day. We're days away from the full moon. It's going to be even worse right now."

I looked up at the house warily. "But I thought she phased?"

Rye shook her head as I opened the door for her. "The rules don't seem to apply to us hybrids. Bray phases but his eyes change, and he can decide which orders to take. Piper is scarily powerful, as am I. And my shift doesn't hurt as bad as the full-blooded Children. Who's to say that while she can phase, she doesn't carry the temper of the Children?"

"Dear God," I whispered as we entered the living room to the chorus of mother and daughter shouting at each other. "That would be one hell of a mix. And not necessarily in a good way."

"Tell me about it," she muttered.

Something thumped upstairs. "I imprinted on him, Mom! I'm not going to hurt him!"

"But you _did_ hurt him, Nechole! That's _why_ he had to be stitched up! You were out of your mind with anger!"

"Yes, I was! But I'm calm now!"

There was a growled order of, "Don't throw one more thing." I recognized Bray's voice.

"You call this calm?" Tricia demanded. "You're breaking things that don't belong to you!"

Rye and I shared a look and heavy sighs. Apparently, this was going to be one of our first issues to deal with as an alpha couple.

Katie, followed by Jules, appeared in front of us before we could get to the stairs having come from the dining room. "Thank goodness you're here."

"What's going on?" Ryell asked.

Katie gave us a suffering look and glanced behind her at Jules. "As you can tell, Nechole wants to see Gage, but Mom won't let her. Nechole thinks it's for his protection, but it's really for hers. Mom doesn't want her to see how bad he was torn up. He passed out from blood loss, and Carlisle thinks there might be scarring. Aunt Leah is in there with him right now. Uncle Caden is on his way."

Ryell reached out for her cousin's hand. "We'll go see what we can do."

Katie looked relieved. "Thank you."

I looked to Jules. She nodded and steered Katie back to the living room.

I followed Rye up the stairs until we reached the second floor, which was basically the medical floor with two emergency hospital room setups and two recovery suites plus Carlisle's study. Aunt Tricia and Nechole were in the hallway facing off with each other. Bray was standing between the two, his arms loose at his sides, hands clenching and unclenching. His green eyes were on Nechole mostly. Nechole seemed to have gotten the Children's ability to change eye color. They were amber as opposed to her mother's wolf sky blue. Instead of brighter, Aunt Tricia's eye color was darker.

Crossing my arms over my chest, I cleared my throat. Rye put her hands on her hips.

Tricia whirled around and both of them growled at us. Bray took a step closer to Nechole, hovering just in case.

I just raised a brow, seemingly unimpressed even though I knew both of them would gladly claw my eyes out. "Someone wanna tell us what happened? Katie called."

Surprisingly, it was Nechole who calmed down enough to talk without yelling. "Gage and I went to have breakfast on the rez, and Erik showed up, taunting us. As you can probably guess, it flipped my bitch switch." When she avoided my gaze, I knew none of us would like the next part. "I followed him outside. Gage got between us when Erik started up again, and I just…exploded. I don't remember the first moments after the change, except that I imprinted." She waved to the closed door of the first emergency suite. "Apparently, I hurt Gage." Her eyes turned pleading. "But I didn't do it on purpose. And I don't remember it." She wrapped her hands around her elbows, hugging herself. "I just want to see him, to see for myself that he's going to be okay."

Facing us, putting her back to her daughter, Aunt Tricia's eyes said no, don't let her in there. But it was a request, not a demand as if she remembered that we outranked her. Bray was frowning as if he was sorting through the information and options, but no longer angry.

This was a tough call, so I looked to Rye.

She met my gaze and shrugged. Then she turned back. "Nechole, do you know why your mom doesn't want you in there?"

Nechole hugged herself tighter but glared at her mother. "She thinks I'm going to freak out, maybe hurt him again."

Tricia spun around. "That is not why."

"Then what is it?" she demanded.

Both women were straining toward each other, and Bray stepped between them again, still not saying anything.

Rye stepped forward. "She's concerned for you. Apparently, you did some pretty serious damage if he bled so much he passed out from it, and possibly caused scarring. She doesn't want you to blame yourself for this because it wasn't your fault. We all know you well enough to know that you'd beat yourself up over this."

The utter hopelessness and longing on Nechole's face as she stared at that door had me stepping forward to say, "However, maybe it would be best for her to see him now when he's prone."

Both Ryell and Tricia gaped at me while Nechole perked a little. Bray shot me a questioning look over his shoulder. Apparently, my not agreeing with Ryell wasn't a sign of solidarity and was offensive.

I held my hands up to the two incredulous females in front of me. "Gage is going to wake up and get out of that bed eventually. If Nechole sees him now, it'll give her time to come to terms with what happened. And I'll go in with her. Out of the three of us, I'm still stronger, bigger than she is. That way, Bray and Jules don't have to stay for this little family drama."

Now Bray turned. "Dox, Gage _is_ my cousin."

 _Oh, yeah,_ I thought.

I just shrugged an apology.

Tricia crossed her arms. "And what if Leah won't let her in?"

I opened my mouth to say something when the door opened.

Aunt Leah was standing there, watching Nechole. There were no tears, no grief. Carlisle had already said that Gage would be okay. From what I could hear and see, he was hooked up to a heart monitor and fluids as a precaution, but the only thing necessary was the fluids because of the blood loss.

"It's okay, Tricia," she said. "I remember how rough the first time is, and how the anger can cloud everything. But I'd still like Dox to come in, just in case."

I nodded as Nechole stepped forward. Rye was giving me a look, but not like I was in trouble. Just considering.

When Nechole got close enough, she said, "Thank you."

I nodded again and put my hand on her back, leading her inside. Aunt Leah stepped aside before closing the door behind us.

The beeping on the monitor was normal, the fluids bag nearly empty. Gage was sprawled out on the bed, his torso bare. One large sheet of gauze covered the left side of his chest and neck, all the way up to his jaw.

The scent of Nechole's tears floated back to me as she walked to stand beside the bed. Stepping up next to her, I watched her closely. There was horror along with the tears in her eyes, but no anger. I didn't think she was in danger of phasing as she took Gage's hand. As usual when someone was in this bed and their mate touched them, the heart rate jumped but then calmed.

"I want to see what I did to him," she said softly. "Please. I need to know."

I put a hand on her shoulder. "That might not be the best idea right now. You should wait until the shock wears off and the wounds heal a bit. Maybe you should tell us a little more about what happened."

Her head shook, making her hair fly around her shoulders. "I don't want to leave him," she said in a panic.

"I didn't say you had to," I said softly. "Just sit down next to the bed and tell us."

Aunt Leah brought over another chair.

Nechole looked at it before sitting down and nodding. "Okay."

* * *

 **I don't really have anything to say, so the only thing to say is I love you guys! Thanks for the support and sticking with me! xoxoxox**


	21. Chapter 21

**Alright, guys. There's something I need to address. First off, I love my fans. I will never not answer messages and/or reviews. However, as much as I enjoy your enthusiasm (and I don't want to hurt feelings here), I have to say that the constant reviews begging me to update (one or two a day from the same person plus all the others) is getting a little much. I realize that you guys love this story, and I do, too. The problem is that I have a job. I am a student. I have adult responsibilities to handle. As much as I wish I could sit down and just write for you so you can have a chapter every day, I can't. I am not a paid published author. So yes, it might take a month for me to update. I don't need anyone to count how long it's been. I'm well aware. But I also take so long bc it's not easy to write. Sometimes, I'm able to crank out a couple chapters at a time. But the story has to come to me. I'm not just going to write random things to make you happy to see an update. I want to give you quality, not just quantity. So please, I'm asking that all of you ease up on the "please update" and "the last update was_days ago" reviews.**

 **Trust me, I am not ignoring you. There's just not much I can do. This chapter? I've been working on it since I last posted. So it took me a month to write it for you. And I'm not completely happy with it, but I needed to get it out to stop the constant emails of "will you update" reviews. If I were going to give up writing the story, you guys would be the first to know. I won't just ghost on you; I promise. And I will probably lose readers for "getting onto you". I wish that wouldn't happen because I love my readers. But I need you to understand that I don't just sit at my computer all day; I can't. So no, you will not get an update every day. That's just not realistic considering how long and detailed my chapters are.**

 **So I'm sorry if that offended anyone. For any who are going to stick with me, I hope you enjoy this chapter. The drama is definitely starting to escalate.**

* * *

 **A couple days later…**

 **JacobPOV**

The door in front of me was the most ominous thing I'd seen in a while. The last time I'd knocked on this door, my sister had cried and yelled that she wanted nothing to do with me or the pack or my family. Survivor's guilt burned my gut. It was no surprise she'd been so angry. My entire family had made it out of what we called the Witch's War alive, if a little banged up with memory loss. And by all accounts, Jules _should_ be dead, and even Mara couldn't explain how she'd survived being struck by lightning over and over again. But we'd all made it out while Rachel had lost Paul and Rebecca had lost Henry. One loss for each sister, twins who could feel each other's pain.

Two years had passed, and I still hadn't heard from either of my sisters, not even seen them. Not even at the shop. I'd been told that if they needed maintenance on their cars, they went into Forks to the more expensive places that were owned and employed by humans. They'd been serious about avoiding the pack at all costs.

So, I took a deep breath and reminded myself that I wasn't a child to cower from their anger the way I used to. I was more than sympathetic to them both because I had loved Paul as brother and Henry, my nephew. But Rachel was neglecting her children even though Ava was twenty. It was not my niece's job to raise her siblings. She should have been out to college somewhere, getting on with her life.

Before I could knock, the door opened. Ava looked up at me. "Hey, Uncle Jake," she said quietly, and looked over her shoulder.

When she opened the door all the way, I walked inside. Despite my sister's neglect, the house neat and orderly, clean.

Ava closed the door behind me. "I sent Linley and Dane to a friend's house. This might not be pretty. Mom's been drinking already today."

I studied my niece and found that she looked exhausted. It was finally taking a toll on her, taking care of everything and being unhappy.

"Where is she?" I tried to keep the anger from my voice but I knew it slipped through.

She jerked her chin toward the back of the house. "In her room."

Without hesitation, I started forward but Ava grabbed my arm. I turned to look at her.

"She won't open the door for you," she said, stepping in front to lead the way.

The scent of cleaner was heavy on the air as if Ava had taken advantage of a semi-empty house to clean. She led me back to a closed door and knocked.

"Mom? I need some money to go to the store. Linley said she hasn't been feeling well, and you took your purse into your room."

There were a few heartbeats of silence before I heard a shuffling on the other side. Then the door swung open.

Rachel looked absolutely horrible. Her hair was disheveled as though it hadn't been brushed in days. There were stains on her pajamas and robe. And those clothes were looser on her frame than they should have been. She'd lost a good twenty pounds, showing in her gaunt cheeks and sunken eyes.

But when those eyes saw me standing behind her daughter, they widened and filled with anger.

Instinctively, I moved, throwing out an arm just as she went to slam the door. It thudded against my arm, and she pushed.

"Get out!" she screamed. "Get. Out!"

"Rachel!" I yelled back as Ava moved out of the way.

"How dare you come into my house?!"

Breathing hard, she glared up at me, but at least she'd stopped trying to shut the door.

I barreled my way into the room. "What is going on?"

"Get out," she hissed.

Glaring back, I said, "You know damn well that's not going to happen. Ava came to me; she's worried about you, and now I understand why."

Stomping away, she went to sit in one of the chairs by the window. "No reason to be worried. I'm still alive, aren't I? I haven't offed myself."

"Rachel!" I scolded.

She just looked toward the window.

Heart breaking, I went to kneel in front of her. She ripped her hand out of mine when I tried to take it, but I'd expected it. That didn't stop it from hurting, though. "Rachel, please. Talk to me."

"What do you care? You've been off playing king of the wolves while my and Becca's lives fall apart."

The anger came back full force. No way was she going to blame me for this. "I left you alone because the last time I was here, you screamed that you wanted nothing to do with the pack or my family. _Ava_ came to _me._ I don't know what made you think that I don't care about you or Becca. You're my sisters and I love you. I would do anything for you. Hearing that you hated me and wanted nothing to do with me broke my heart, but I did as you asked."

Her jaw clenched. "Why are you here? Come to take my daughter away and force her to fight, too?" There were tears in her voice.

Reaching up, I gripped her chin to force her to look at me. She tried to pull away, but I used that inhuman strength to keep her there. "I don't care if you hate me, but the one thing you will not do is blame me for Paul's death." She flinched at his name, but I went on. " _Paul_ went into that fight willingly. He had a choice, Rachel. They all did, including Henry. He chose to fight for his family, his home. And Paul considered the pack his family just as much as you and the kids. He knew that I would never use the alpha ability to order anyone to fight. My own son stayed here on the rez because his mate asked him to. You had the same option, but I think we both know you wouldn't have asked that of your husband because you knew what his answer would be. I would never force anyone to do anything they didn't want to, and that includes risking their lives. Now, your daughter came to me because I am your brother. I am here as your brother, not in any pack role. I am a brother who cares, loves, and is worried about his sister."

After a couple heartbeats of glaring, her anger washed away, replaced by tears that fell onto my hand. I knew better than to try to pull her into my arms. Just because she'd chosen grief over her anger didn't mean she wasn't still angry with me. But I did let go of her chin in favor of trying to take her hand again. She let me, squeezing my fingers tightly.

After a couple minutes, she reached for a tissue and wiped her face.

"Rach," I said softly, "Ava said the therapy was helping. Why'd you stop going?"

She shot me a glare again but couldn't hold it as exhaustion took over. She sighed, more tears slipping. "It _was_ helping, and I'd thought it helped enough. It had to be enough because I couldn't afford it anymore. You know how crappy healthcare is here, and I wasn't willing to take it from the business."

For a moment, I just knelt there on the floor and debated. "If you had the funds, would you go back?"

Immediately, she nodded. But then her eyes narrowed at me and she shook her head, trying to take her hand out of mine. "No, Jake. Absolutely not."

"Just listen-,"

"No," she said forcefully.

I squeezed her hand. "Shut up, Rachel. You'll use my money and go back."

The head shake was violent this time, making her limp hair move. "No. I won't use your family's money," she spat. "I don't want anything to do with them, not even to get better."

"It won't be their money, not Cullen money. It's mine from saving up all these years at the shop. I've been saving it for emergencies and just-in-cases. You can hate me all you want, but you will take this for your kids. What would Paul say if he were here right now, seeing you like this?"

The grief made her expression fall. "He'd be pissed," she whispered.

I nodded.

Then she choked out a strangled laugh. "He'd haul me to therapy himself and sit outside the room to make sure I stayed."

"Please, Rachel," I said, desperation making an appearance in my tone. "Please, let me help you. Not just for the kids, but for us. I hate this distance; I hate that you blame me. I miss him, too. And Henry. My brother and my nephew. I miss them more than you can possibly imagine, more than you think. But I comfort myself with the thought that they were pack and knew what they were sacrificing to keep their home and families safe. Also, that they _chose_ to make that sacrifice." For a moment, I debated but then said, "I have nightmares about burning them, that we're burning them alive." Now some tears of my own came. "I loved them, Rachel. And I miss them, too. You're not the only one who cared about Paul. We all did, and we all mourned him as well as Henry. We still do. But we carry his memory in the pack, in the kids. I know the girls have missed seeing Ava, and we loved seeing her at Piper's mating ceremony. She's grown so much, and she's so beautiful. Like you. Strong like Paul. She had to have that strength to pick up where you left off so that you could heal. But you're not healing, Rachel. You're drowning. Let me help you." My voice cracked on that last sentence, and I leaned in to kiss her hand. "Please."

I laid my cheek on her hand and cried. For the first time since Billy died, I openly wept onto my sister's skin. All my fear and heartbreak were there in the great sobs that racked my body. My sisters were all I had left of our parents, and I knew that I'd have to say goodbye to them eventually because they were aging. They were human, and time was starting to creep up on them. In their forties, nearly fifties, I could see their hair starting to gray, wrinkles forming in the corners of their eyes and mouths while I still looked to be in my twenties. I didn't want to spend what little time I had left with them fighting or us ignoring each other.

Sometime later, I felt a hand on the back of my head, in my hair. Then I felt Rachel lean over to kiss where her hand had been. "Okay, Jake," she whispered. "Okay. I'll go back."

 **RenesmeePOV**

The front door opened while I stirred the potato soup in the crockpot.

I had to brace myself with a deep breath before I turned to him.

Jacob looked absolutely horrible. His eyes were puffy from crying, face a darker russet than usual. If he'd had fairer skin, it would have been red from all the crying. His big body moved like every joint and muscle was screaming as he took off the old leather jacket I'd gotten him for Christmas forever ago, the Christmas I'd told him we were pregnant with Will. But it was the look in his eyes that broke my heart and had tears pooling in my eyes. They were haunted and oh, so tired.

Putting the lid back over the soup, I went to stand behind him, but didn't touch him. He hadn't moved from in front of the door even after he'd put his jacket up. His back was to me, broad shoulders slumped.

"What can I do?" I asked quietly, the tears threatening to choke me.

He was silent for another couple heartbeats.

Then, "She gave up," he said, voice strangled. My heart dropped. "She gave up because she thought I didn't care anymore."

There was absolutely nothing I could say as my mouth worked and my hand reached out for his back. But before I could touch him, his fist slammed into the wall beside the front door.

Growling and snarling, he did this a few more times until his knuckles were bloody and the wall cracked, buckling under.

My tears finally fell as I gently pressed my palms to his shoulder blades.

"Even Ava," he said finally said, voice ragged. "Even Ava said she hadn't come to me sooner because she thought I was too busy for them. For my own family."

"I'm so sorry, Jacob," I whispered.

He kept breathing hard. I stroked his back until I felt him start to calm. Blood dripped from his hand, faster than it normally would have with him flexing his fingers over and over.

When he settled enough, I slid my arms around his waist, molding my body to the back of his, my cheek pressed to his spine.

His hands came up to rub my arms, and I didn't care that his blood was smearing my skin. After twenty years together, it wasn't the first time. And it wouldn't be the last.

"She agreed to go back to therapy," he whispered.

I tightened my arms around him and squeezed my eyes closed. "That's great." Pulling back, I kissed his back. "Let me turn off the soup, and we'll go lie down."

He gripped my wrists. "No. No, I'm okay. I just need to wash up. Then I'll clean up and fix the wall."

Moving back, I urged him to turn around so I could see his face. "Jake, you can do it tomorrow. I think you should rest."

Gripping my hands, he put my fingers to his lips. "No," he said harder this time. "Right now, I need to stay occupied because if I don't, I'll start thinking about what they said. And I can't…I just can't deal with that right now."

Pulling my hands out of his, I cupped his face. "Okay, okay. I'm sorry. I didn't realize…I wouldn't want to stay still, either." Taking his hand, I moved toward the bathroom under the stairs. "Let me at least clean your hand before it heals. Then we can eat, and you can teach me how to fix a wall."

Jacob pulled me to a stop and when I looked back at him, his mouth worked but no words came out.

I squeezed his hand. "I know. I wouldn't know what to do without you, either."

And then I pulled him to the bathroom to clean his hand.

 **AshPOV**

Everybody was gathered in my house. And by everybody I meant my siblings and their mates, my own mate, Jason and Piper, Nechole, Katie, Parker, and Wren. Tate and Colton were also here, supporting Gage, who had insisted he come when Ava had asked for a meeting. He was still on the mend because his wounds had been from another werewolf. Nechole stayed close to him but seemed nervous about it.

Surprisingly, Victoria wasn't here. As soon as she'd heard Ava had asked for a group meet, she'd asked Mark to take her to the store.

We were all seated wherever there was room while Ava paced in front of us.

She took a deep breath. "And that's it. That's what's been happening, and I'm sorry that I took so much time away from all of you, that I've missed so much."

It was Ryell who looked around at the crowd. "Not to sound insensitive, but should all of us really be here? I mean, of course, I care about Rachel and Rebecca and all of you, but this is really fragile information."

Ava paused to look around as well. "Yes, this was necessary. My dad considered both packs his family. And whether by blood or marriage or just pure friendship, you all are my family. I'm tired of hiding. I've done my healing, and I've missed you guys so much. I didn't realize how much until Piper asked me to stand with her at her ceremony."

Leaning against the wall, I shared a look with Jules, who was sitting on the couch. Then with Dox in the corner by the fireplace. Will met my gaze from where he was sitting on a barstool.

"So…what are you wanting out of this meeting?" I asked as gently as I could.

She took yet another deep breath. "I would ask forgiveness."

Jules frowned and sat forward. "Forgiveness? For what? Ava, your dad…he died. Of course, you'd need time to heal. Any of us would need time in different ways. None of us blame you."

Surprisingly, it was Jason who stepped forward. "I lost my dad and brother. To deal, I threw myself into my work after Walker offered me head enforcer." He motioned to Piper. "I'm honestly lucky I didn't lose my living family to that abandonment. But we all need a reminder to check back into our lives at some point, and it looks like maybe Piper was reason enough for both of us. You and I may not know each other that well, but I think I can speak for all of us when I say welcome back."

Around the room, there were various nods and agreements. I nodded, too, as I shared a look with Cole across the room.

Ava swallowed hard, her eyes shiny as she looked at Jason. "Thank you. That…that means a lot."

"And whatever support you need," Will said, "you know you have it. Aunt Rachel is going to go through some tough times. We'll be there for you if you need us. All you have to do is ask. One word and we're there."

Again, there was a lot of nodding heads and affirmatives.

"We all miss those we lost," Dox said. "In some form or other, they all contributed to our lives. Maybe we didn't always get along, but that's what family is. We bitch and bicker, but at the end of the day, it's because we love each other. We will always mourn them. Our comfort is, though, that we have memories to share, memories to laugh and cry over together. Memories that will keep them alive in our hearts. So, we'll all heal at our own paces and know that there are others waiting to help us or join us. Then we'll move on together."

Cole lifted his drink. "Well said, Dox."

After that, everyone started to mingle, hugging Ava, making her smile and laugh. Dox and my other siblings joined me after giving Ava hugs.

I looked at Dox with a smirk. "Got all touchy-feely, huh?"

He scowled at me. "Shut up."

Smiling, Jules wrapped an arm around his waist, hugging him, and smiled. "I think it was very nice. Very mature."

Dox looked over at me and stuck out his tongue.

Jules sighed. "And then he goes and does that." Shaking her head, she pulled away.

Chuckling, I looked over to see Will watching the crowd. He had the contemplative look on his face as he rubbed his neck.

"What's up?" I asked.

Startled, he looked over at me as if he hadn't expected to be watched. Then he sighed. "Our own family, man," he said quietly. "They were going through some shit and we just…forgot. We should have taken notes from Ryell and gotten in touch with our cousins."

Dox shook his head as Jules reached out to rub Will's arm and shoulder. "We can't blame ourselves, Will. They wanted to be left alone. Our only option was to wait for one of them to come to us."

"My concern is Aunt Becca," I said. "Dad only talked to Rachel today."

Jules shrugged. "Most likely Aunt Rachel called her twin when Dad left. Both of them lost someone so they both know how the other is grieving. But I think out of the two, Aunt Becca is dealing better. Not to be cruel, but she has a second son. She has an outlet for the maternal love. Aunt Rachel doesn't have an equivalent of her husband."

"But her kids-," Dox started.

Will shook his head. "Speaking from experience? I almost lost Hunter and because of that, I missed my own daughter's birth. I wouldn't know what to do without her. When you go into a marriage and a family, you expect your partner to excel where you lack. Without that support, the idea of trudging on just seems impossible. Some people are strong enough to pick themselves up, but others aren't. But I think Jules is right. If something happened to Cordy and I had her sibling left, I'd pull myself through if only to make sure that nothing happened to my other child." He looked over to where Hunter had joined the group around Ava, Cordy on her hip.

Behind us, the door that led to the carport opened and Victoria walked through. She paused with wide eyes.

"Oops," she said. "I can leave again."

Shaking my head, I went toward her. "No need. The serious part is over. And I want you to meet someone seeing as you're part of this family now." I looked her over. "How was your outing?"

Nodding, she looked at the group. "Good. We went to Carlisle for a checkup, and then Mark took me to dinner."

My brows went up at that.

Noticing, she shrugged with a small smile. "After he faced off with my dad for me, I couldn't ignore it. It's been tentative, but I think it could go somewhere."

Threading her arm through mine, I grinned. "That's good to hear, Toria. You deserve to be happy."

Flushing, she looked down. "I've was never happy with Mom and Dad. And now, I've never been happier."

When she rubbed her stomach, my smile faltered. The movement was slow and loving. I'd forgotten to take my own advice and hold off being excited about being a dad. The idea had gone to my heart, and now that she was finding something serious with a male that would take care of her, she might decide to keep her son. Not that I could be angry about it. Cole and I both had known that things could change within the last few months remaining of the pregnancy.

Her arm squeezed mine. "Hey, you okay?"

Shaking myself out of the spiral, I nodded. "Yeah. I'm good."

"Liar," she said softly. "He's still your son. I'm not changing my mind."

I patted her hand where it rested on the top of my arm. "We'll talk about it later."

She sighed, but let it go.

"Hey, Ava," I called as we walked up to the little group. When my cousin turned, I motioned to Victoria. "I wanted you to meet the newest member to my little family. This is my sister-in-law, Victoria."

Ava took in all of her as she smiled. "I've seen you before on the rez when I make deliveries for my mom. You're a receptionist, right?"

Toria nodded.

Ava nodded with her. "Yeah, I dropped off some candles for your employers."

Victoria smiled. "So that's where they came from. I loved them and always wondered. They were lovely for the office, nice and soothing."

Ava beamed.

Kissing Toria's cheek, I excused myself, leaving them to talk and connect.

Cole met me in the kitchen as he took a bottle of water out of the fridge. "I'm sorry about your aunt," he said quietly.

Leaning back against the counter close enough to touch, I shrugged, my shoulder brushing his. "Our hands were tied. We couldn't do anything until they came to us. Ava might be quiet, but she's strong enough to deal. That she went to Dad says that she was close to breaking under the pressure. We'll let Dad deal with our aunts. Our cousins will be our priority."

He nodded but asked, "What did Toria say to you?"

"Just that she went for a checkup and then went to dinner with Mark."

He snorted. "That doesn't really surprise me. He showed his feelings when he went after Daniel. Too many people saw it for him to argue now."

Chuckling, I took a drink from his water. "I guess we should order pizza or something. They don't seem to be leaving."

Cole took the bottle from me while I took out my phone and laughed. "I guess so."

 **DoxPOV**

Rye and I were curled up on the couch, watching the fire crackle. The get-together had lasted a few hours, especially after Ash had ordered pizzas.

Now I was full and tired with my mate wrapped around me.

"The full moon's tomorrow," she said quietly.

I rubbed her bare thigh up to the hem of the short shorts she wore to bed. "Are you going to shift?"

She nodded against my shoulder. "I need to. I didn't last month. The wolf is restless." Cheek pressed against my arm, she rolled her eyes up to look at my face. "Will you run with me?"

Gripping her leg, I met her gaze. "If you want me to."

Nodding, she went back to looking at the fire.

"You're still worried."

Sitting up, she looked at me again. "Aren't you? Nechole phased on the rez and tried to attack Erik in front of people. That doesn't bode well for us, Dox. Not just your dad's pack but ours, too. Especially if they agreed that they should be informed of pack business. If they knew the things we've had to do to protect them, they'd see us as monsters. We're not human and sometimes those monsters inside us come out to play tucking away our human morals."

Thinking through it all, I tried to think of something to say that would calm her. "Rye, nobody from the rez has come to any of us or Dad. Gage made it clear that if they had a problem, they needed to take it up with us. Right now, the rez isn't acting against us so for now, we can't worry about that. Yes, we keep it mind, but it's not a priority. We need to survive this party first. Get our ducks in a row. With that many wolves creeping around here, we'll need to make sure they stay off the rez and out of Forks."

"Good thing Dad changed his mind about parading us around. Because he limited the number allowed, not many have sent affirmatives. But then he hasn't sent out the official invites yet."

"We'll be fine," I told her, pushing her hair back over her shoulder. "We're already on alert from the attack in Seattle. Garrett said he's sending his guys early to get a feel for things and report back. Rye, babe, we've learned from past mistakes. All the plans have been gone over."

She growled. "I just hate the waiting for something to go wrong because something _always_ goes wrong. You and I both know that plans only work if everyone goes by the same script. Bad guys have their own to go by."

I cupped her face. "Stop, Rye."

Now she glared at me, nostrils flaring. "I can't just stop worrying, Dox. This is my pack."

" _Our_ pack. Listen, just like Jason needs to learn to trust his guys, you need to learn to trust him. He is our head enforcer. He's good at his job; let him do it. Our people will take care of protecting our bodies, but this party is political. That's where you and I need to have our heads. We can't do that if our thoughts are running with the packs."

Letting go of her anger on a sigh, her finger traced around my nipple through my shirt as she said, "Are we ever going to try to combine the packs?"

I had to grab her hand so I could think. She pressed her lips together innocently.

I gave her a look but said, "That will happen later down the road, and will be a discussion with my siblings. I don't own my dad's pack, Rye. And no doubt it'll be put to a vote if the packs want to combine. But with the number of couples forming between both, it would make the most sense to do it."

"Who would lead? And how?"

I shook my head and played with her fingers. "I don't know. The Quileute wolves who haven't mated into Walker's pack will likely want to follow whoever isn't leading the Children. You'll still lead the Children. Again, I don't know. We'd have to figure out the particulars. But that's not what we need to concentrate on."

Rye took her hand out of mine and started up her touching again. "I know," she said through a smile as my breath shuddered. "It's just something I started thinking about."

A growl slipped between my teeth as her nails scratched down my stomach to burrow under my shirt and grip the top edge of my jeans.

I quirked a brow. "Feeling frisky tonight?"

She bit her lip. "Maybe." Then she lifted her face. "Make love to me."

The growl grew. "You know that teasing me doesn't lead to anything gentle."

Leaning in, she nipped my jaw. "Who said anything about gentle?" she whispered.

My body shuddered. "Then strip for me."

I felt her pull back. "What?"

I ran my eyes over her body. "Strip for me. Tease away."

She stared up at me. "But I've never-,"

I gave her a look. "Every time you undress is a tease to me."

Slowly, she got to her feet like she was trying to decide how to do this. I heard her swallow before pushing the coffee table away. After a moment she said, "Put some music on."

My eyebrows went up, but I pulled out my phone. I pulled up a playlist that always made her want to dance.

Grinning, she closed her eyes. Letting her neck loose, she started up small movements of her head and hips. It took a second but eventually she got into the groove, biting her lip again. She'd started up that habit when she wanted to be loved on but was too nervous to ask. That type of submission made that primal male side of me growl in approval. She and I had the perfect balance.

As the song continued on and her body got on board with the rhythm, her hands started to roam her own body, giving me glimpses of tan skin and taut flesh as her shirt lifted every now and then. The growl became continuous when she turned around to start sliding those tiny shorts down over her ass just enough to show me that she'd put on a thong when she'd changed. I smirked. That little minx knew she was going to talk me into sex tonight. That's the only time she wore thongs.

When I reached out to touch her, her hand knocked mine away, as if waiting even with her eyes closed. I looked up to see her giving me raised eyebrows over shoulder. It was a warning as she shimmied her hips and pulled her shirt over her head. After throwing it, she turned, bring her foot to my chest, pushing me back against the couch. I grabbed her leg, pulling her to straddle me, my hand sliding over smooth skin. She did what I wanted, dancing over my lap. I had just enough time lean forward to suck the meat of her breast over the cup of the push-up bra that matched the slip of underwear. Then she was backing up, dropping down low to get my boots off. Somehow even that was sexy.

When the song changed, she gripped my hands to tug me off the couch. Her lithe body danced around me, brushing here and there. And when she was back in front of me, the shorts were gone. She was in her black bra and thong. The dark color made her skin glow. She ran her hands over her hips, up her stomach to cup her breasts before moving on into her hair. As she moved, I caught her rhythm, my own body syncing with hers.

Then suddenly, faster than I could see, she gripped the tops of my jeans again. She'd used that inhuman speed, reminding me that she wasn't human. I didn't need the reminder, but it was still hot as hell as she looked up at me with amber eyes while dipping low again, unbuttoning and unzipping my jeans as she went. Still moving on the balls of her feet, Rye pulled my jeans down. I smirked at the surprise on her face when she saw that I'd gone commando today, my erection already standing proud.

My mate swallowed hard, her mouth working as if it were watering.

I stepped out of my jeans before her hands wrapped around my calves, skimming up my legs as she shimmied her way back up my body. When her face reached my hips, she leaned in to lick me.

My head went back, mouth opening with a groan. Rye licked and bit her way up my torso, her hands moving ahead to shove my shirt over my chest. And when the time came, I leaned over so she could yank it off. The serious mood was broken when she laughed, a full-throated sound, and tossed the shirt. Giggling, she turned, started dancing again, and twirled her hips. Gripping those hips, I pulled her back against my body, but she didn't stop. We danced with me naked and her nearly there while her ass ground against my cock.

Rye arched her body, her arms coming up, hands running through my hair. I had a spectacular view of her breasts pushing the limits of her bra. I couldn't not touch her, so I ran my hands over her taut stomach and hips. The straps of that thong drove me wild while she danced in my arms. Kissing the spot behind her ear, I skimmed my fingers down over the front of her, over that lace until I reached her opening. My fingers dipped under to find her already wet. Growling, I played in that wetness until she was breathing heavy and dancing for an entirely different reason.

"Dox," she breathed.

"Turnabout's fair play, baby," I said against the skin of neck. "What do you say we get you naked?"

"Oh, God," she said hoarsely. "Yes."

"Yes, what?"

"Yes, please."

"Good girl," I growled and went for the clasp of her bra. Though I loved the effect, I needed all of her skin on mine, to touch her without something between us.

As soon as the thing was undone, she flung it off.

But I fingered the thong. "We might keep this. I can do my thing around it."

At that, she turned and shoved her lips against mine, crawling up my body until her legs were wrapped around my hips. "Just fuck me already," she growled. "I'm sorry for teasing you. Just please-,"

I loved that she was begging so much that I gripped her thighs and walked until her back hit the wall just beside our bedroom door. We'd make it in there eventually but not right now. Pressing back into the wall, she gave me her hips, seeking some sort of friction. Everywhere her core touched me was wet with her body's desire. A mewling noise came from her throat as her nails scratched up my shoulders, arms, and neck, trying to pull me where she wanted.

"Hard or soft?" I asked, leaning in to lick and nip at her lips.

Her eyes fluttered open. "Hard. I want to feel your strength."

Good fucking answer. Sliding my hand between us, I moved the slip of fabric between her thighs before gripping myself and shoving in.

She shouted, head banging back against the wall as she gave me her throat.

Rye was tight without foreplay but oh, so wet. So wet that I slid in smoothly.

Cupping her ass, I held her there as I began to fuck her, swinging my hips hard until there was a sound of wet flesh hitting wet flesh. Eyes squeezed closed, her body moved and undulated as if she couldn't get enough. My growl was a constant living thing in my chest, vibrating up my throat while I bit at the skin of her neck and chest. Her breasts were pushed up from being pressed against my own chest and I bit down on the meat of one as it was offered up to me with one of my thrusts.

Ryell screamed, her nails shredding the tops of my shoulder.

Letting go, I licked over the spot, soothing the hurt before pulling her nipple between my teeth.

Now she whined, hands both pushing and pulling. The pleasure was too much as all the while my hips and cock worked us both closer and closer to that edge of oblivion.

"Yes," she gasped. And the word kept falling from her lips like a prayer along with my name and "please".

But I wasn't going to let her come, not yet. I had to pay her back for the teasing. So, I slowed my pace before pulling all the way back and out. Even my sense of pleasure protested the sudden stop. We'd been so close to orgasm that my body burned with the need, but I beat it back.

The whimpering got louder as I set her on shaky legs. When she opened her eyes, I ran my hands over her body possessively, cupping her breasts and thumbing her nipples. She jerked.

Her eyes held a pleading question.

I leaned down to bite her lip until I tasted blood and then put my own lips to her ear. "Go into our room and bend over the bed."

Those sherry-hazel eyes were glassy, her cheeks flushed. Biting and sucking the blood from her lip, she nodded and did as I ordered.

I watched as she held onto the wall and walked into the room. I followed to lean in the doorway and watched as she went on tiptoe to bend over the bed, her palms flat to the mattress beside her head. She turned her head to the side but didn't look over her shoulder at me. Standing there, I appreciated the view of her spread out in front of me. Her core was red but glistening from the pounding I'd already given her. The marks she'd carved into my skin were steadily seeping blood. They were deep and would take days to heal, but I loved it. I loved that I could make her lose herself to pleasure to the point where she didn't worry about hurting me.

At first, she was still, probably having expected me to be on her as soon as she was in position. But the longer I watched, the more she started to fidget, rubbing her thighs together, desperate for the pressure to be released.

"Don't make yourself come," I said low. "If you do, you and I are done for the night."

She whimpered again but stilled. "Please," she begged.

Unable to stand it anymore, I went to kneel before what she was offering me. Gripping her thighs, I popped her feet off the ground so I was supporting her and plunged my face into her core, lapping at the wetness that kept pumping from her.

Rye shouted, mewled, and groaned as I fed at her. But I made sure to stay away from her clit. Once I hit that, I knew she'd explode and be too wrung out for anymore. And honestly, I wanted her to come around my cock, not my tongue. My hands moved up her legs to her ass, where I squeezed the pliant flesh. She was all soft female under my hands, and that was one of the things I loved about her. Though she trained in fighting, she still had those soft, fleshy bits that I could grab onto when we were together.

Pulling myself away from the intoxicating taste of her, I slapped her ass before positioning myself at her entrance. Then, planting one hand on the bed and the other gripping her shoulder, I plunged in. Without a moment to adjust, I started pounding. Rye didn't even have time to take a breath to shout. She gasped, burying her face against her bicep, and took everything I gave her. Every last inch. The bed groaned and jerked with the movement, her body getting forced higher onto the mattress.

Suddenly, her legs wrapped around my legs, ankles hooked over my calves. Reaching up, she grabbed the wrist of the hand I had clamped on her shoulder. Her other arm wrapped around the one I had planted on the bed. My balls were hitting her clit, and I knew she was about to climax hard.

Gone were the whimpers and whines. Now she was growling as I shoved my whole body against her, my hips slapping her ass. She was straining, tossing her head so that her hair slid to one side and she could glare up at me with amber eyes.

Her wolf was at the surface. I knew that dominant females could fight the mating, trying to get the male to prove that he was strong enough to mate with her, to sire her offspring.

So, answering that challenge before she could start thrashing, I growled and bit the back of her neck, right at the top of the spine. She kept growling, body going tense. But as the sex kept raging on, and I kept my hold on her, the body under me went loose.

My own viciousness came out as I kept fucking her until I tasted her blood on my tongue. The metallic sweetness and the rush of strength reminded me that I hadn't hunted in days. I fed from her body, both blood and sex until I felt the inside of her tighten hard and fast around me. Letting out a noise that was both growl and grunt, I thrust one last time before grinding into her, swiveling my hips.

Ryell screamed, nails ripping at my skin, spilling my blood on both of us. Despite my weight pinning her, she writhed as the orgasm ripped through her.

And as her body tightened even more, my orgasm hit me like a truck, plowing over me and spilling into her body. A roar trembled out of my throat, making the walls shake. The sound turned to a howl as I finished.

When we were both spent, I realized that I was laying on top of her. Both of us were breathing hard.

Leaning up, I looked at her face. Her eyes were fluttering while she struggled to breathe, her pulse beating hard in her neck.

I kissed her cheek. "Are you okay?" I croaked.

Her mouth worked for a moment, but nothing came out.

I chuckled. "Just blink."

She managed to open her eyes and give one distinct blink before those lids shut again.

Sliding to the side so I wouldn't crush her, I moved her hair so I could look at the bite mark. It wasn't just a mark; it was a wound. One that was still seeping blood. It had soaked the hair at the nape of her neck and was smeared around my chin and mouth. I licked up the blood that was still seeping, but it really needed pressure for it to stop.

Kissing her shoulder, I made to get up.

She groaned as she reached behind her to grab at my torso. "Stay. You're warm."

My heart melted, but I touched the side of her neck. "This needs to be bandaged. It's still bleeding. And I was going to get something to clean us up."

She grumbled. "I'll change the sheets tomorrow. Just stay."

I would have given in to her, but the wound was still bleeding a good amount. So much that I didn't like it.

I kissed her shoulder again and moved to get up.

"Dox," she complained.

"Ryell," I ordered. "I'm going to clean us up. Now, stop. Rest. Let me take care of you the way I'm supposed to."

I could feel the wolf inside of her hunker down as I used my Alpha tone on her. I knew it didn't work the same on a Child, but she was a hybrid. I was betting her wolf knew the tone, even if the she-wolf didn't understand why.

Rye's hand slid away until she was curled up on the bed, tucking her legs up.

I was recovered enough to use the bed to stabilize me so that I could lift her higher onto the bed, putting her head on a pillow. But I grabbed one of my shirts from the hamper to put under the bite wound. While I was watching her, I looked at the one on her chest. It was already clotted, so I didn't have to worry about it. The last thing I did before leaving her side was to slide the underwear down her legs. She hated sleeping in wet clothes.

My legs were just a touch wobbly as I moved into the open space and went for the bathroom. The minute I looked in the mirror, I knew that I was going to catch shit from my siblings and others. The scratches went deep over my arms, shoulders, neck, and chest. Even my back and ribs were clawed up. But I couldn't really care about what other people thought. A wave of masculine pride swept through me. I cleaned those up as best as I could since they weren't bleeding anymore. The small feeding I'd had from her had helped heal them enough to close just a little. Exhaustion was tugging me under as I grabbed everything I needed and went back to her. With her already being half asleep, I didn't force her to move, but crawled up onto the bed.

As I went about cleaning up the wound, she started to wake up.

"Dox?" she said softly

"Yeah?" I answered, dabbing a pain cream on her skin.

"I like it when you boss me around."

My eyes flicked to her face as I chuckled.

She turned her head even more to look up at me. "Honestly. Like you just did in a serious manner. Something about it just speaks to my instincts. I like it when you're alpha like that."

In my head, I went back to that moment when her wolf surfaced. "I think it's because you're an alpha female. You and your wolf like knowing that your mate is strong enough to handle that. Quileute runs in your blood, so some base part of you must realize what I am to that side of your bloodline. We might run your dad's pack together with you being the true leader, but in the Quileute pack, I'm the alpha bloodline."

As I talked, I finished dressing the wound. Then I grabbed the damp washcloth from the bedside table and moved down until I could move her back onto her stomach and spread her legs.

"Dox, you don't have to-,"

Growling, I gripped her thigh. "What did I tell you?"

She went quiet and dropped her eyes.

I took a deep breath. "I'm sorry. I don't know why I'm like this when it's sex. Or just randomly. Most of the time I can control it, but other times…I'm sorry."

Silently, she opened her legs wider, cocking one of her knees up toward her chest.

To show her that I knew what she was thinking, I leaned over to kiss her behind while sliding the damp cloth between her legs where my release was already sliding out. Her body spasmed with aftershocks until I was done and throwing the rag in the hamper. On my way back up to the head of the bed, I grabbed the sheets. Neither of us liked the heavy comforter unless we decided to turn off the heat. I was too tired to flip the switch, so I just put the sheets over us and cuddled up against her back.

Rye moved against me, shoving herself as hard as she could as if she wanted us to slip our skins and rub the beasts inside us together. My wolf didn't have the same metaphysical elements that hers did, so we couldn't share that power, but I hugged her as tight as I could.

Her hands rubbed my arms. "You're all I could ever need or want. Don't ever apologize for how you act with me. We're an alpha couple; we're going to fight and disagree about things. Even in front of other people. They need to see us fight to know that we're not just blindly following each other with our heads up each other's asses. I don't care about that. And I really do love it when you go alpha on me. The submissiveness I show is my wolf's. She knows what you are to her, to us. And it's a game to her. She likes to bait you, to make sure that you're strong enough. She…likes…being submissive for you." Then she laughed a little. "She wants to mate every time you give me an order, a serious order." Sighing, she snuggled back against my chest. "She knows that you'd never try to take our position, our power in the pack, so she doesn't mind letting you take care of us. She doesn't mind you being protective and territorial. In fact, she feels safer when you do that, like we can lead while you take care of everything else. Other males moving in can be a real problem in packs, and it's the alpha male's job to prove he's the one that deserves the alpha female. That's why I never understood Jules's fight with Bray when all he was doing was trying to prove himself worthy of her, even if it was over pack business. But that was between them and I'm glad they worked it out."

She'd basically just explained everything I'd thought during sex, during that one moment when I'd realized what her wolf was about to do.

I buried my face in her hair. "Thank you for explaining that, and for not ripping me a new one."

Her hand came up to stroke my face. "Never," she said tiredly.

"I'm glad your wolf likes me that much," I said with a smile.

She huffed a laugh. "She loves you, even though she doesn't necessarily understand the emotion. You're ours, and she's never going to give you up. Not for anything."

"Good," I murmured, lips brushing her neck. "Because I'm not going anywhere. Now, get some rest; you're exhausted."

Humming, the tension started easing from her as she sank against my body and the bed. "Dox?"

I smiled. "Yes, love?"

"Mmm, I forgot to ask," she murmured sleepily.

"Ask what?"

"Will you mate me?"

Trying to keep the laugh to a low chuckle, I kissed the spot behind her ear. I wanted to say something sarcastic but instead what came out was, "I'd be most honored to mate you, Ryell."

"Mmm," she mumbled again, this time with a smile. She patted my hand. "Good man. It would really suck if you'd said no."

I barely resisted the urge to laugh again when I squeezed her. "Sleep," I ordered softly.

"Mmmokay."

She was gone within seconds, and I was soon to follow.

 **Night of the Full Moon…**

 **ColePOV**

"And remember," Mark was telling my sister. "Don't open this door. Not for anything or anyone. Do you understand?"

I could tell Victoria was exasperated but in the face of her boyfriend's concern, she stayed solemn. "Yes, Mark. Cole and Ash have already gone through this with me. None of us are leaving the house. We were just going to go into the basement and watch movies all night. I promise that I won't even come upstairs until morning. If I need something, Ash will get it for me."

Those hazel eyes studied her with worry, weighing her sincerity. Gripping her hands, he brought them up to kiss her fingers. Then he looked to me. "Do you have a weapon?"

"Mark," Toria admonished.

He glared. "No, Victoria. The full moon takes away our humanity, leaving the beasts to roam free. They have no morals. You might be my mate, but I'm not taking chances with you while you're pregnant." Then he looked to me, insistent. "Do you?"

I shook my head. "No, but the basement is reinforced steel with silver running through. She'll be safe."

He studied me for a moment, then looked at Ash. He shook his head, reaching toward his back. That hand came back with a gun and holster. "Silver shot," he said. Coming over to me, he took the clip out and popped the round in the chamber.

"I'm familiar," I said. "Our dad was a hunter and kept guns in the house."

Mark handed me the pieces. "Show me."

Containing the sigh and eye roll, I put the gun back together and clicked the safety into place.

Mark's enforcer eyes watched every move I made, and when he was satisfied, he nodded.

Before he could say anything else, I set the gun on the kitchen table and crossed my arms. "You just called her your mate. Is she?"

He swallowed, glancing back at her. He nodded. "I think so. I've talked to Jason and others who have found their true mates. The feelings they described are how I feel about your sister."

I looked at her. "You don't seem surprised."

She came to stand with Mark, wrapping her hand through his. "We talked, the night of the mating ceremony. While the wolves partied, he stayed with me."

I studied her closely, looking for any discontent. When I found none, I asked Mark, "And the baby?"

Straightening his shoulders, he said, "The deal she made with you still stands. Honestly, I think it would be a good idea. Not that I would hurt the child, but…"

"He's not yours," Ash finished as he came from the back of house in the direction of our room.

Mark nodded. "I would never hurt a child, but werewolves are like lions. The beasts inside tend not to be civil toward the offspring of other males when it comes to our females. I'm no different. That's why I ask that she not stay in the upper level of the house. The wolf will know where his mate is. By the time I shift, her scent will be diminished enough that he will think she's not here."

"And you won't try to break in?" Ash asked.

Opening his mouth, he paused to look at my sister. Then he shook his head. "I can't tell yes or no. I've never had a mate before so I'm not sure what the wolf will do."

Ash and I shared a look.

I shrugged. "Then we'll definitely keep the gun."

Mark nodded. He looked at Victoria, gently cupping her face and kissing her forehead. "I need to go. The moon is calling and others have already shifted. Please stay safe."

Toria gripped his wrists and nodded, his lips still against her skin. "I'll stay down here. I promise."

They hugged tightly before he kissed her again and went for the door without a backward glance. Ash was waiting by the door to turn all the locks while I tucked the gun in its holster. I wasn't going to wear it on me but keep it close. Daniel had made sure that I knew how to handle several different types of guns as well as how to shoot them. I was a decent shot, decent enough to deter anyone from attacking.

As Ash and I were guiding my sister downstairs, closing the heavy reinforced door behind us, a howl went up into the woods close to the house. We hurried down and shut the second door, throwing all the locks into place.

Toria stood back, watching us. She rubbed her belly. "So, it really is as intense as the movies, huh?"

Ash shrugged. "Every cabin is built with a basement like this." He pointed to another door. "That goes to tunnels that lead out of the compound and on the other side of Forks just in case the compound gets attacked. Only Cole and I have access to that door. It runs on a fingerprint scanner that's on the panel beside it. Not even Mark does. So even if his wolf gets into the tunnels to try to get to you, all he'll be doing is staring at that door. But usually we don't have to use the basement because I'm a wolf. Somehow their beasts recognize the Quileute wolves as the same so none have ever tried to hurt Cole or me." He smiled and motioned to the couch. "But don't worry. We're perfectly safe down here. There's even a refrigerator with snacks. We keep it stocked, just in case."

Nodding, she went to sit down, blowing out a breath. "Well," she said looking around. "Who picks first movie?"

 **The next morning…**

 **AshPOV**

I was in the process of flipping over Victoria's omelet when my phone started ringing on the bar behind me. I frowned. It was Grampa Edward's ring.

"It's Edward," Victoria said.

I nodded. "You can answer it."

There was a hesitation, then, "Hello?...Hi, I'm good, thanks…oh, yes. Eating healthy and all that. Would you like to talk to Ash?...Yeah, he's right here. Making breakfast."

Turning, I traded her food for my phone. "Hey, Grampa. What's wrong?"

He chuckled, but it was tense. "I can't be calling just to talk to my grandson?"

Leaning back against the counter to watch Toria eat, I smirked. "You could but call me paranoid. Something's up."

He sighed. "Always too smart for your own good. There was an attack last night. Full force."

My brows cranked down so hard in a frown that I got a headache. "What?"

"All of us Cullens except Carlisle and Esme came to Seattle last night. We figured something would happen with the full moon. Good thing, too."

"What happened?" I asked as I went for the empty extra bedroom that Cole and I were planning for a nursery.

"The wolves corralled a group of kids in a park. We managed to set a trap for the wolves, but they still attacked some of the kids. I was calling because we think they'll talk to a wolf, so I'm asking if you'll come out here."

I stopped in the hall. "Me?"

There was a noise like he was nodding. "You didn't run the full moon, so you're not exhausted, and you're the only who answered your phone. I was about to try Dox and Jules next."

Which meant I'd been one of the first he'd called. "What about Dad?"

"Nope. And to be honest, he's probably busy with something I don't want to know about."

Chuckling, I changed direction and went for my room. "You're probably right. Let me get dressed, and I'll be out there as fast as I can. Are any of them awake? And where are you holding everyone?"

"The wolves are still out, but the kids are starting to wake up. They're dazed and confused. Relatively calm for now. We're in an abandoned warehouse on the edge of the woods."

Going to the dresser, I changed my sweats for jeans, then covered my torso with a t-shirt and plaid button-up. "All right. I'll be there as soon as I can. Text me the address and I'll put it in the gps."

"Will do. Thanks, Ash."

"See ya soon, Gramps."

We hung up just as Cole leaned against the doorway. "Everything okay?"

Shaking my head, I sat on the bed and slipped into my boots. "Another attack in Seattle. Multiple victims, still alive. Grampa and the others have them in a warehouse. None of my siblings answered, so I'm going to check things out."

"Alone?" he asked after a moment.

I smirked, looking up at him from under my brows. "My family is waiting. The drive will be alone." I stood up and went to kiss him. "I'll be careful; I promise. You need to stay here so you can go to work."

He licked his lips, nodding. "Okay, but may I make a request?"

"Of course."

His heavy hands landed on my hips. "Please take an enforcer with you. At least one. It would make me feel better."

I cupped his face, making stern eye contact. "I'll ask Nik. With Mark and your sister hot and heavy, I'm sure he could use a break. That sound okay?"

At that, he nodded before putting his forehead to mine. "Thank you."

I kissed his nose, making him chuckle. "I love you. I'll be back as soon as I can, but I'll probably end up staying the night. I'll call to let you know."

Closing his eyes, he blew out a breath. "Please be careful."

I pulled back to lift his face. "I'm coming home to you. Always."

The kiss was deep and slow before I pulled away. If I didn't, I wouldn't leave. But I knew I needed to. Grampa had called me to help; I needed to be an adult and deal with my responsibilities.

"Ash?" Toria asked as I grabbed keys to the house. I'd grab one of the pack trucks. "Where are you going?"

I plastered a nonchalant smile on my face. "Seattle. There's something I need to take care of."

Her face set into lines of worry. "Oh. Well, be careful, okay?"

The smile turned real. "Like I said to Cole, I promise."

After kissing her cheek, I left the house to find Nik. He was likely in the large cabin that served as a dormitory for the single males.

I was passing the line of new resident cabins when I heard my name again.

Dox was walking out the place he shared with Rye. He was frowning as he looked me over. "Where are you going? What happened?"

This time, I couldn't contain the grin. He was all domineering, demanding alpha male. His black hair had grown out longer than he usually kept it. Above the neck and under the sleeves of his shirt were deep, dark scratches that had scabbed over, no doubt having healed a bit from his phasing last night while Rye had shifted. She typically liked him to run with her on the full moon. And no doubt, she had been the one to put those marks in his skin.

I shook my head but asked, "Did Grampa get ahold of you?"

His frown deepened. "No, why?"

"There was an attack in Seattle last night. He asked me to come out."

The frown turned to a scowl as he lifted a finger. "Hold on."

I watched while he padded back into the cabin. He was gone for maybe five minutes before he came out with his jacket and phone.

"I'm going with."

My brows went up as we started walking for the truck he used. "Are you sure? Didn't you just get in?"

He shook his head. "Rye shifted back early. She is powerful enough to do that, you know."

I smirked. "Yes, yes. We all know your female is a badass. Oh, and we need to pick up Nik. I promised Cole I'd take an enforcer with me."

Dox grinned while he climbed into the driver's seat. "Demanding mate, huh?" At my dry look, he chuckled. "All the females around here are badasses for putting up with us assholes."

I couldn't help but agree. Even though I was very gay, I was still a guy, and I knew that Victoria thought all of us were overbearing. But she still put up with it because she knew better than the argue. She'd lose.

"You know," he said as he fired up the truck and headed for the cabin and road beyond. "It's been a while since it was just the two of us."

"Yeah, it feels like we're always jumping from emergencies to entire family times. Even though this visit mostly likely won't be pleasant, I'm glad it's me and you going together. I've missed us hanging out."

He frowned. "True that. We should start doing something, just the two of us."

Snorting, I gave him a look. "Like what?"

He shrugged. "I don't know. Run a patrol or something. I know this leadership thing is going to make me itch. I like to be active, not stuck behind a desk."

I nodded. "I'm game. I could stretch my legs. We can talk to Uncle Seth about that since he's in charge of organizing patrol lines. Besides, we need to keep up with our vampire training, too. We could hunt."

On his side, he shifted in his seat. "Just one thing. When we phase out, don't look at my female."

I gave him a dry look and he grinned.

"Dox, I'm super gay. If anything, I should be telling _you_ to stay out of _my_ head. There's a good chance there's things in here that would scar you for life with you being a flaming hetero and all."

My twin gave me a horrified look before shaking his head. "You're probably right, you freak."

We grinned at each other at the same time.

 **DoxPOV**

A few hours later, I pulled the truck into the lot of a dilapidated warehouse.

"Great haunted mansion material," Ash muttered as I put the vehicle in park and killed the engine behind a huge dumpster.

We both got out and looked around.

"No kidding," I said. Even the weak afternoon light, I got the creeps.

Nik stayed silent as he slid out of the back seat. His eyes scanned the growing shadows and dark, vacant building.

My senses prickled just before Ash said with amusement, "If you're testing our vampire abilities, we're still training."

Grampa Edward stepped out of the shadows of a doorway, smiling. He went to hug Ash first before coming to me. "Glad to see you boys made it safely and in a timely manner. Not much traffic?" He nodded to Nik.

I shook my head. "Nope. It was smooth."

Ash snorted. "Even if there had been traffic, we still would have gotten here fast with _him_ behind the wheel." He jerked a thumb at me. "He weaves in that truck like Dad on his motorcycle."

I sighed. "I want one so bad."

"Don't even think about it," Ash said, giving me a dirty look. "Mom would murder you before that idea even came out of your mouth."

I nodded. "True. I blame Dad, though. He's the one that taught me how to ride."

"Yeah and I'm sure she wants to kill him for that, too."

Grampa and I both chuckled.

"Boys?" Grama said from the doorway. "They're all waking up."

Ash and I both sighed.

"Shall we?" he said.

Our grandparents led us into the deep shadows that were starting to form inside from the late afternoon. For some reason, it surprised me that he went to a set of stairs and started going down. Of course, it would be easier to keep the wolves contained below ground where they couldn't tell if it was day or night. Keep them unbalanced. Ash and I took in our surroundings as we descended. The place was well and truly abandoned. The walls of the stairwell were wet and slimy with grime. The dripping of water echoed from somewhere as well as the murmur of voices.

"We separated the humans from the wolves," Grama said softly. "But most were already scratched up by the time we arrived. We quietly sent away those that were unharmed after a thorough inspection."

When we finally made it to the bottom, they led us down a hall to the right. The industrial light fixtures were empty of bulbs as we passed under them. The leather of my jacket creaked right along with the old chains holding those light fixtures that were swaying in a phantom breeze. My nose tingled at the scent of the mold and rotting wood that was still exposed from the unfinished construction.

At the second to last door on the right, we all stopped. There were groans and soft voices coming from behind it.

I motioned to it. "Shall we?"

The door opened from the other side. As I walked in, I found Emmett on the other side.

"Welcome to the party," he said grimly.

Inside the dank, dark room, there were seven people sitting against the walls. As my vision adjusted to the darker space, I realized they were all around my age. And they weren't just sitting there; they were chained. They were ruffled and dirty, wearing beaten to hell clothes. Ash stood next me. We shared a look before gazing around.

"Are you just gonna stand there, or say something?" Surprisingly, the voice was female. The fury in that tone had power biting over my skin.

The others in the room kept their eyes downcast, only glancing up every now and then.

But the girl gave us angry green eyes. She was a pretty little redhead with pale, pale skin and light freckles. Physically, she was delicate, but the power pouring off her made her as intimidating as my dad.

"We want to know what happened," Ash said in an authoritative tone.

"Yeah," I said crossing my arms over my chest. "The sooner you tell us, the sooner we can figure out what to do with you."

One of the others scoffed. "'What to do with us'? You're going to let us go, right?"

I locked gazes with the redhead. "Something tells me that at least _one_ of your little pack knows that Seattle is neutral territory." I narrowed my gaze on her.

With attitude, she looked away while the others glanced at her.

I looked at Ash sideways. He quirked a brow. His version of a small shrug.

Walking over, I crouched in front of her. "I know that you're the ringleader of this little party. Tell us what happened."

Those green eyes flickered to amber and back again as she glared up at me from under her brows. "Didn't your little friends tell you, pup?" She popped the last word and tilted her head.

With narrowed eyes, I studied her. Either she was much older than she looked, or she was baiting me. Tapping into my vamp abilities, I closed my eyes and tasted her power, rolled it around my mind and my own power.

I smirked. "Don't call me pup, princess. We're about the same age." I dropped the smile and glanced over my shoulder. "Something tells me your pack is important to you; that's why you're the one stepping up to do all the talking. Talk to us, and we'll see that they're escorted out of Seattle safely. I promise."

Her expression shifted from attitude to contemplation. "What about me?" she asked finally.

Ash came to stand next to me, looking down on both of us. "My brother figures you'll want them out before you talk. After you do, we'll see you join them. A couple of our companions will take them to the nearest edge of woods and wait for you."

"Your word?"

Ash nodded. "My word."

"And mine," I added.

The girl looked behind us to our "companions", studying them. Then she locked gazes with me. "I want a phone call when they get there."

Ash nodded as I stood up. "Done."

It was Jasper and Alice who unchained the group and led them out. Thankfully, they'd picked an abandoned place not far from the woods' edge. The wait was only thirty minutes, and in that time, none of us said anything. Ash and I tossed glances with each other and the rest of the family. Nik stayed at the door, dark eyes taking in every detail. The redhead just watched us, her stare turning from glaring to contemplative. Every now and then, her nostrils would flare, scenting us.

Then my phone rang. It was Alice. "We made it safely," she said.

"Good," I said. "Put one of them on."

I held the phone out to the girl. Gingerly, she took it, putting it to her ear. "Hello?...Tell me something only I would know." Frowning, she nodded and hung up the phone before handing it to me.

"What's your name?" Ash asked while I tucked away my phone.

"Quinn," she said.

"Quinn. I would say it's nice to meet you," I said. "But under the circumstances…I'm Maddox Black. This is my brother, Ash."

When she didn't say anything, we all just stared at each other. Quinn's eyes had gone wide at the mention of our names.

Ash knelt next to me. "Quinn, your people are safe. We kept our end; it's your turn."

She just watched us.

"I could easily get them back on the phone," I warned.

My hand went for my pocket. When she saw it, she sat forward, the chains clinking. She held her hands up as far as they could do. "Okay, okay. Wait. Look. I didn't know that Seattle was off-limits. I wasn't told."

"By whom?" Ash asked.

She flipped her hair out of her face and made an exasperated sound. "The guy who sent me out here."

"Why were you sent?" I asked. "And who was it?"

"I don't know, okay? I'm not a pack leader but that group is mine. We're omegas traveling together; we watch each other's backs. News travels slow to groups like us so we had no idea that Seattle was a neutral zone." She shook her head again. "He approached us. When I spoke for our group saying that we wouldn't help him, he took me aside to threaten them."

"What did he want you to do?"

Quinn looked to Ash. "He said he was recruiting, but he couldn't make it into the city himself because of other business. Look, we may have rebelled against our packs, but we don't hurt people. Or at least we didn't," she added bitterly. "If he had just threatened the older ones like me, I still would have said no. But he went after the youngest, detailing what he would do to him."

The anger leaked out of her expression, her eyes. Replacing it was fear and begging. Begging us to understand.

"Tell us about the male," I said softly.

Dismay joined the fear. "I can't."

"We'll protect you."

This time, her headshake sent her hair over her shoulders. "No, you don't understand. I can't tell you anything about him because I don't remember. He did something to us, smudging our memories. Every time I try to picture him, the vision is blurry."

Frowning, I looked over my shoulder. Grampa was frowning hard but nodded when he met my gaze.

So, Quinn was telling the truth.

Ash sighed. "Is there anything you _can_ remember?"

She shrugged. "He was young." A smirk at me. "Around our age."

I smiled back. "Anything else?"

The smile died. "No. He had enforcers with him, but I couldn't ever see them. They surrounded us."

Straightening up, I stood next to Ash. We looked at each other before turning to the others.

Nik was watching her closely.

"What?" I asked him.

Quinn looked up at him.

"The young one," he said after a moment. "Where is the young one the male threatened?"

For the first time since I saw her, Quinn looked uneasy. She swallowed hard and shifted on the floor, the chains sliding over the concrete.

"Quinn?" Ash said. "Answer him."

She reached up to rub her neck but hissed when the silver touched her skin.

I turned to Emmett with my hand out. "Give me the key."

My uncle gave me a cautious look before handing it over. Kneeling over her, I reached for her hands. Quinn eyed me suspiciously before holding them out. The cuffs were lined for the most part except for a small sliver of silver to touch the skin as a reminder, so when I took them off there were two lines per wrist, forming a band. Once the chains were off, she scooted away from them and me to tuck herself into a corner. Her knees folded up to her chest, arms wrapping around them.

"Quinn," I said. "Please. If you're in trouble, we can help you. But you _have got_ to talk to us."

"He's safe," she said softly. "Here in Seattle."

"Who is he?" I asked quietly as I turned toward her again.

Now she glared. "It doesn't matter. All that does matter is that he's a child and in danger."

I held up my hands. "Okay, okay." She seemed to be more inclined to talk to me, so I tried to keep her attention and calm. "You're right. It doesn't matter who he is. Can you tell us why the male is recruiting?"

Her eyes looked around at everybody before focusing on me. "He never explained, and I never asked. By the time I'd thought to, one of his guys had…Thayer. That's the boy's name. Thayer. They had him, so I told the male I'd do whatever he wanted." She paused. "Will you really help us?"

The question was asked so softly and with a vulnerability that was at odds with the fierceness she'd shown us that I knew in that moment that she was scared.

I looked up at Ash.

He tilted his head.

"Quinn," I said, turning back to her. "I want to help you and yours. It's obvious you care for them and the boy that was threatened. But I have to ask, if you hadn't been threatened, would you have hurt these people?"

Her headshake was immediate. "Absolutely not. Like I said, just because we rebelled against our packs, it doesn't mean that we want to hurt people. In fact, most of us left because we didn't want to hurt anyone." Taking a breath, she toned down the hysterics. "When I was talking to the male, I felt his power. Most of the time, pack leaders try to keep their power neutral so that others won't be suspicious of anything. But this male didn't try to hide the menace pouring from him. Whatever he's recruiting for isn't anything good." For a moment, she had the look like she was debating something before letting go of her knees to sit more openly. "If you promise us protection, I can promise you that we'll stand with your people against the male and his pack."

Ash's boots appeared next to me. "You make it sound like you know his plans, that he's going to attack nearby packs."

Quinn glared up at him. "Listen, I might be a female and an omega, but I'm not stupid. I was the daughter of a pack leader. The only reason to cause this kind of trouble in an area is if a leader plans to go to war in this area. I didn't know Seattle was neutral, but I bet he did. I would also bet he knew that we didn't know."

Ash crouched next to me. "You're saying that he used you and your people as scapegoats."

She nodded, still glaring at him. "Yeah. Obviously."

I sighed but Ash said, "I didn't mean to imply that I think you're stupid. And definitely not because you're a female. Some of the smartest people I know are female. I apologize if you thought otherwise."

Quinn scrutinized him before dipping her chin. "Accepted. But if you're asking if he told me his plans, no, he didn't."

Before anyone could say anything else, a howl sounded. It was too close to be coming from outside.

Everyone froze, an, as one, we all looked up.

"Oh, God," Quinn breathed.

I looked back at her. "The full moon is passed."

Her eyes widened as she stared at the ceiling and shook her head. "They're newly infected. Just as some can change before the full moon, they can also change a night or two after." When barks and yips echoed in the empty halls and rooms, she stood up. "We need to get out of here. The beasts will have taken their humanity. They won't know we don't mean to harm them."

"We can't just run," Ash said.

Emmett stepped forward. "We can't let them out of this building," he said. "There are innocent people in this city."

"What do you propose we do?" Nik demanded. "Other than shooting them, of course."

"The basement," Grampa said, taking his wife's hand. "Basements are one of the first things built in construction. We're not far from it. The door is strong enough to hold them. Luring them will be the hard part."

"We can do it," Grama said.

Ash's head whipped around. "What?"

The growls and snarls were getting closer. Not close enough to be a worry yet, but it was clear the wolves were on their way down from an upper floor.

"She's right," Grampa said. "We're faster. And we won't be worried about the two of you. Get Quinn to her people."

Ash was about to argue, but I stepped in. "Give us a call as soon as it gets done," I said quickly.

Grampa gave us a nod before he and Grama disappeared. Turning, I grabbed Quinn's hand and started pulling her toward the hallway. "Come on, Ash."

"What the hell was that?" he demanded as he followed us out.

In the hallway, we broke out into a run for the stairs. At this point, it was a race to the front door with the wolves. We had to get there before they did so Grama and Grampa could lure them away. Quinn ripped her hand out of mine so she could match my pace, taking two stairs at a time. Ash was hot on our heels as we jumped for the landing that Ash and I come in on. The wolves were on the landing above us. The biggest of them jumped the entire staircase. He was dark brown, almost black. And as he landed, he started snarling and swiping.

Too bad I was close enough to gut as those claws came out to slash across my abdomen. I jumped back, but not fast enough. Cloth ripped as did the skin and flesh underneath.

"Dox!" Ash screamed.

Grampa came out of nowhere, slamming into the beast, barreling him toward the staircase we'd just come up. I staggered back, putting a hand to my torso. Blood was a steady flow from under and around my hand.

Ash came for me, hands hovering. "Dear God," he whispered. Then he fished the keys to the truck from my pocket.

Shock had set in because I wasn't feeling the pain yet, but I knew it would come and it would be a bitch. Ash and Quinn each gabbed an arm, wrapping them around their shoulders, and hauled me through the door before the other wolves could get down the stairs. The two of them shoved me into the back of the truck. Quinn hopped into the floorboard with me and grabbed one of the many blankets Rye and I kept in it. She started ripping it into strips as Ash brought the truck roaring to life and skidded us out of the lot.

"There's no pain," I said, surprised my voice was strained.

Quinn's green eyes met mine. "There will be," she said as she tugged a strip of cloth under my body to bring around and wrap tightly around my chest. "We need to get the bleeding staunched." She glanced up at the front of the cab before frowning. "Where are you going?"

Ash took a sharp turn that sent Quinn flying across the floor, grabbing for whatever she could hold. I was likewise thrown, and as my head slammed into the opposite door, the pain made an appearance. It stole my breath as I felt all the muscles pull and fire sear through my veins.

"He needs a hospital," Ash yelled over the screaming tires.

"Are you crazy?" Quinn yelled back. "He's a werewolf; he can't go to a hospital! He needs a witch or a pack healer."

I was able to catch a breath through the pain enough to say, "Mara. Ash, call Mara."

Cursing, Ash dug for his phone and threw it to Quinn. "Call her. Then check my texts for one from Alice. She sent the exact location where they took your pack. Tell Mara that information."

"What are you going to do?" Quinn demanded as she messed with Ash's phone.

I saw my twin's eyes in the rearview mirror he'd positioned so he could keep an eye on me. "He's losing too much blood to wait for a healer. He needs to feed so I'll see if I can hunt a few deer to jumpstart his vampire healing."

Holding the phone to her ear, Quinn gave me a sharp look. "You're a vampire?"

I gave her a small smile as weakness started to seep into my body. "Only a little."

Shoving the phone between her ear and shoulder, she started to wrap more cloth strips around me. "Hi, is this Mara?...Good, I need you to listen carefully. I'm with Ash and Dox in Seattle. Dox has been hurt, badly." She gave Mara the exact location that Ash had told her to. "Ash said he's going to hunt for Dox to try to jumpstart the vamp healing. Tell me you're close." Quinn nodded, pulling a strip tight enough to make me wince. "I think he's about to pass out. There's blood everywhere, and his torso is ripped to hell and back…It was done by a werewolf…Yes, a Child…Does it really matter who I am? Just get here!"

Then she threw the now-bloody phone over the front seat concentrate on wrapping me up. "You should be dead," she whispered as she applied pressure.

I hissed. "Would you with this kind of damage?"

Pressing her lips tight, she shook her head.

"Why help us, me?" I asked, trying to take my mind off the pain.

For a moment, her throat worked, eyes tearing up. "Because you didn't kill us on sight. You listened and understood that we were in trouble instead of taking us as monsters."

With a shaky hand, I reached up to cover hers. "I know…what it's like…to have loved ones…threatened." I swallowed hard. "I would do…anything…to keep them…safe."

I coughed with the next breath and blood bubbled up my throat.

"Shh," Quinn murmured. "Don't talk. He must have knicked a lung." Her hand ran through my hair, trying to calm the panic I could feel bubbling up with the pain. "Ash," she said, and I realized I'd closed my eyes because her voice was far away. "Drive faster. He's about to pass out."

The truck's engine was screeching now, but that didn't matter. A few minutes later, even that was far away as I slipped off into nothing.

* * *

 **Dun, dun, duuuunnnn! So what do we think? Do we like Quinn or not? And who is this mysterious pack leader? Any theories? Let me know! love y'all! xoxoxoxo**


	22. Chapter 22

**Hey, guys! No, I am not dead, but I kind of wish I was. I've been sick on and off for a few weeks, and traveling when I feel better. I also had finals and final projects to deal with. And this chapter was actually very hard for me to write. I don't know why, but it was. I want to remind you and promise you that I will not drop this story no matter how long it takes for me to update, so please be patient. I will not abandon you guys in the middle of a story even though this will probably be my last for this series. I may finish second in my other series if any of you follow that one, but other than that, I will most likely not be posting anymore fanfics. But this story still has many more chapters left, so never fear. You'll get me for a while longer.**

 **Now, please enjoy!**

* * *

 **RyellPOV**

Dox's desk was piled with papers planning out the enforcers' rounds as well as arrangements for all the guests. I was trying to organize and go through everything to keep my mind off the fact that he was away in Seattle dealing with some emergency.

His only comment to me before grabbing his coat, phone, and hauling ass out was that there had been another attack in Seattle last night during the full moon while we were out running. I'd wanted to go, but he assured me that he and Ash had everything covered.

And so that left me sitting here trying not to worry.

I was just going over the guest list, frowning down at it, when there was a knock on the door.

Piper and Jules poked their heads into the room.

"Knock, knock," Jules said rapping her knuckles on the doorframe.

Setting the paper down, I looked up. "Hey, guys."

They both walked in and looked around.

"Whatchya doin'?" Piper asked, eyeing the papers. "Better not be worrying over the party and mating. I told you we'll take care of it."

I gave her a smile and sat back. "I know you will, and don't think I'm not grateful. What are you guys up to?"

Piper plopped down into one of the chairs in front of the desk. "My people have a list of things they need, so Jules and I were about to go into town. We came by to see if you wanted to join us."

Taking a deep breath, I looked around at all the paperwork, feeling the weight of everything try to crash over me. I nodded and stood up. "Yeah, sure. That sounds better than sitting in here and worrying about Dox."

That little statement had Jules whipping around. "What about him?"

I frowned. "He's in Seattle with Ash dealing with some emergency. Didn't anyone call you?"

Shaking her head, she pulled her phone out. "I got a call from Grampa but no voicemail or text. Did he say what happened?"

I shrugged. "He saw Ash hauling ass across the compound and went out to talk to him. A minute later, he came in to grab his stuff, saying there was an attack in Seattle and that he, Ash, and the Cullens were going to deal with it. He told me to stay here to rest. I didn't argue with him. He was in alpha mode. So, I came in here to try to get my mind off that. I just can't shake this feeling that nothing good is gonna happen."

Jules was frowning hard now as her fingers flew across her phone.

Piper reached out to take my hand. "Have you tried to call him?"

I shook my head. "I was giving him time to get there and deal with it. Don't want to turn into the needy, clingy mate, ya know?"

"Understandable. How long have they been gone?"

"A few hours. With Dox driving, I'm sure they made it in record time. But if they're dealing with a pack, I don't want to distract him."

Piper looped her arm through mine. "Then let's go pick up this stuff. By the time we get back, we can call them."

I nodded. "Sounds like a plan."

Jules tucked her phone away and smiled a little. "Dad and Will said they got calls, too. I guess Ash was the only one who answered. He was always an early riser. But Rye is right, we should give them time to deal with it. I'm sure they'll call if they need anything."

 **VictoriaPOV**

I let out a growl as I hung up the phone. It had been going off all freaking day. So much so that I hadn't been able to eat any of the snacks Ash had packed for me, and it was now lunch time.

Just as I was standing up to take a break, the door opened.

Sighing, I plastered a fake smile to my face that was more like a baring of teeth. "Hi, how can I…oh, hey, Ava." My tone changed when I saw who it was.

The pretty girl grinned and set the boxes she was carrying on my desk. "Hey, Victoria. Just dropping off your office's order. Soaps and candles."

I grinned. "That's great."

As I was reaching for the boxes, Mark came in the door like a force of nature as if he knew I was about to "strain" myself. His eyes narrowed on my reaching hands just as he snatched both boxes off the desk. He glared at me before disappearing into the supply room.

Ava giggled while I shook my head. "I was about to go to lunch," she said. "Have you taken a break yet?"

I shook my head as Mark came to stand beside me, pressing a kiss to my temple. "I was just about to clock out."

"Well would you like to join me? I wasn't going to go far."

"Sure. I just need to tell Cori I'm leaving."

A few minutes later, Mark was trailing me and Ava like a heavily armed shadow. If it had just been me and him, we would have been holding hands and acting like a couple. But Mark was always professional when others were involved because he felt the need to be professional and guard their back as well. As promised, we didn't have far to walk to the nearest sub shop.

"So, how have you been?" she asked as we sat down in a booth after placing our orders.

I managed to wriggle into the seat, tucking my purse beside me. "Good. Ash makes sure I eat healthy at all times, and all three boys insist I see Carlisle at least once a week. I guess it's good to have free health care and a doctor that never sleeps."

Ava's expression turned to a frown. Her teeth tugged her lip as she looked away.

As soon as I saw that look, I understood. Ash had insisted that he tell me what had happened at the family meeting.

Reaching across the table, I put my hand over hers. "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean…"

She managed a wavy smile. "It's fine. I know you didn't mean anything by it. My mom should have asked for help a long time ago. Uncle Jake would have rather cut off his arm than let Mom go without it. None of my situation is anybody's fault but my mom's and mine." She squeezed my hand. "So, you and Mark, huh?" My mouth opened a little in surprise and she smiled. "I like it. You two are cute together."

Flushing, I put my free hand around my drink. "I really…I really want this. More than anything. Mark has come to mean a lot to me. He faced off with my dad to keep him away from me. How could any woman not melt at that kind of action?" I flicked my eyes to him. I caught the tightening of his shoulders as he waited for our food; he was listening.

Ava nodded. "I heard about what happened. Sounded intense. I also heard about the agreement with Ash and Cole."

Smiling with affection, I rubbed my belly. "Oh yes. It'll all work out. The Children males don't do well with the kids of another male, so Cole and Ash taking the baby is the best move. Especially if I want to keep seeing Mark, which I do. The baby will be safe, Ash and Cole will be dads, and I will have a normal-ish life without worrying if I'm a good mother or not."

Ava squeezed my hand before pulling away as Mark walked over with a tray. "You _will_ be a good mother, but I understand where you're coming from on this one. You care enough for your child that you want to give him the best life. That includes you not being his mother." She shrugged. "I get it, and honestly, I'm proud of you for that. I couldn't imagine trying to make that decision."

Mark set the tray on the table and sat down beside me. "She's right," he said, leaning in to kiss my temple again. "You would make a wonderful mother."

Leaning back, I stared up at him. I bit my lip and ran my palms over my stomach. "Just not to this baby?"

Frowning, he pulled back. "I never said that."

"But you're happy I'm giving him up."

Placing his forearms on the table, he stared down at the food in front of him for a long moment before answering. "Victoria, no matter how I answer, it won't sound good." He looked up. "I am…honored…that you're still willing to let your brother adopt him so as not to risk his life with me. I'm not saying I would hurt him if you changed your mind. I would try my hardest to be a good father to him, if that's what you wanted, of course. It's just that I know the beast inside me. The human side of me would never harm a child, especially one born to my true mate. But I feel it's better not to tempt fate. If you told me that you wanted to keep your son but not want to risk his life, I would leave. I'd leave you and the pack so that you might live happily with your brother and your son, your family. If you wanted me to stay and be his father, I would give my everything to sway the beast inside me. Even now, you're a wonderful mother. You know what you want and are trying to appease every aspect of the situation. I'm _happy_ being with you, and I would ache if giving up your son caused you pain. I'm not unsympathetic to the small sense of hesitation you still have."

Hands still on my stomach, I took a breath and looked at Ava. She studied him before giving me a wink and a nod.

I ran my fingers through his hair. "I'm sorry I made that accusation. I should know better." Lifting my face so he'd know what I wanted, he leaned over to press his lips to mine.

"It's all right," he said. "I can't stand the thought of a child being hurt. And because this boy will be born of you, I want him safe just as much as I want you as my mate."

I gave him a small smile. "I want that, too. More than you can imagine. I've never been this happy."

He cupped my face. "We'll work through it a day at a time. I'm sure Ash and Cole would agree."

"Of course they would," Ava chimed in. "Those two are the most understanding men I have ever met. I'm surprised that Ash even phased to begin with."

Agreeing, I turned back to the sandwich in front of me, my stomach growling. "I never thought of that. Isn't it anger that usually makes the wolves phase?"

Ava nodded. "Yeah, but as I understand it, he phased after he saw…" She paused awkwardly. "That day that Dox went to get your brother."

I nodded and swallowed slowly. "Right. Of course…of course he would be pissed about that. Pissed enough to phase."

Ava winced. "I'm sorry."

I shook my head. "No, no. Don't be. We're adults; we should be able to talk about this stuff without stepping on toes. I can't pretend that none of it happened. Cole healed and accepted what happened. He's moved on to find a great life with wonderful people to call family. I'm happy for him. I'm just sad that it took me this long to follow. I'm sorry that it took putting an unborn child at risk to get me to leave. If I'd left before maybe this baby wouldn't exist to be in danger to begin with." Taking a deep breath, I sighed it out and smiled. "But we can't live through what-ifs. We've gotta deal with what's in front of us."

Both Mark and Ava nodded, giving me small smiles. The rest of lunch was more peaceful and went by quickly before Mark was walking me back to the office. Ava had gone her own way at the restaurant.

Mark was rubbing his thumb over my knuckles. "You know you don't have to work anymore. I'm sure Walker could use an assistant, and you'll be safe on the compound…with me."

I squeezed his hand and smirked up at him. "I do know that, but I can't just take advantage of the pack like that. Besides, I really love my job and the people I work for. Cori doesn't mind you being around. In fact, she likes you for the heavy lifting of file boxes and the extra security. She's also thinking about paying you to stick around." I stopped walking and used our hands to turn him toward me. "I get it, Mark. Really, I do. You want to keep me as safe as possible from my dad. You're worried he might get past you if you or Nik get called away."

The whole time I talked, his eyes roamed our surroundings, but his hands held mine tightly.

"Mark," I said, gripping his hands to get him to look at me. When he did, I said, "We haven't been together long. There's no need to get too deep about this stuff."

"You're wrong," he said, stepping away from me. "When wolves find their true mates, it all happens fast. Just like with the Quileutes and their imprinting."

"Yeah but the imprinting is the only thing fast. The falling for each other could take months, years. What you're talking about is…is…insta-love."

Coming back to me, he cupped my face. "It's not insta-love. The territorial instinct is overwhelming for me now. I care for you, and the intensity I'm throwing off could be seen as love. But it's so much more than that. It's almost like an obsession. You're my every thought, Victoria. Your life, your safety, everything. That's why Jason never even thought to take me off your security detail. And it will only get worse until we lay together, which is not something I'm willing to do with you pregnant right now. Jason was the same with Piper. Ryell with Maddox. And I know you've heard how Ryell and Dox nearly tore apart the compound in the apex of her cycle. I'm not alpha like Dox or Jason, but I am dominant. I'm sorry if I'm overbearing and that it will probably get worse."

Letting all of that sink in, I backed away to rub at my eyes and take a deep breath. "So, it's not love." I tried not to let that bother me, so I said, "I mean, that makes sense. Wolves are animals; they don't understand emotions like that. Your wolf has the deeper instinct, the faster gut feeling than a human falling in love."

Mark gripped my arms. "Hey, I know that I'm already falling for you, and I'm willing to go along with whatever you decide when it comes to the future of your baby." He held up his finger when opened my mouth. "I know that's something you still worry about. And I told you at lunch that I know you still have a slight hesitation. You're wondering if, now that you're stable with your brother in your life to help support you, if you could really be a mom to your son. I get it. It's a maternal instinct. And I promise you that I will try to be the best man to help you with whatever you choose. Just don't make your decision based on me."

I looked up at the sincerity in his hazel eyes, the wind blowing his sandy hair across his forehead. It was in need of a cut.

Reaching up, I brushed my fingers through his hair away from his eyes. "Okay. Then I suppose we will talk about the heavy stuff. Would you really prefer if I went to stay on the compound? To work?"

"You already live there," he said. "Being pregnant and connected to the pack makes you vulnerable with the threats around us. I'll keep watching over you no matter what you want."

I nodded. "Let me think about it. For right now, I need to get back in there before they fire me for being late."

Lips tilting up in a small smile, Mark brought my hands to his mouth. "As my female wishes."

 **AshPOV**

 _No. Nononononono._

Dox's limp body was sprawled out in front of me in the middle of the woods. His tan skin was actually white and slack. Edward and Emmett had stripped him down to his boxers, which were covered in blood as well. My arms and white t-shirt were now red from helping to carry his body from the truck. It was no doubt smeared on my face and hair, too.

"I can't stop the bleeding," Edward said.

Gripping my head, I growled. "What do you mean you can't stop it?!" I yelled.

Grama touched my shoulder but I turned away from her.

His eyes flicked up to me angrily before focusing on the task at hand. "I can't find the knick. I need equipment. But Quinn is right; he can't go to the hospital." Pressing his palms so hard onto the wounds that I heard ribs crack, he looked up at Grama. "Bella, find me another blanket." Blood seeped steadily over my grandfather's fingers.

Turning away from all of them, I screamed to the shadows.

My brother was dying in front of me and there was nothing any of us could do about it.

There was another soft touch on my shoulder.

"Go hunt," Alice said. She walked around me so she could grip my face, rubbing the tears from my cheeks. "Go hunt for him. You'll tear yourself apart. Edward will figure this out. And Dox is holding on."

"Go," Emmett said, coming over and blocking my view of Dox.

Before I could lose my shit any further, I flung myself into the shadows, phasing on my way out. Before I could even think about tracking, I had to just run. I couldn't control my thoughts. All that was in my head were images of the last hour and how everything had gone to hell.

 _Ash?_

It took a minute to sort through all the images before I could discern the voice speaking to me.

 _Uncle Seth?_

 _Ash, what is it? What's wrong?_ His tone was alarmed, which meant I wasn't shielding. He was seeing what was going on in my head.

 _It's Dox, Seth. He was hurt. Badly. I need…I need you to…He's bleeding out so I'm hunting. Dad…_

 _It's okay, son. Take care of your brother. I'll get in touch with your dad. Do you have your phone?_

 _No. I mean, I don't know where it is._

 _All right. Don't worry about it. Just take a breath for me._

Uncle Seth had always been a soothing presence in our lives. He was that person that could tell us to breathe and we wouldn't rip his head off. So I let his voice sink into me enough to make me pause. I took a deep breath as he ordered.

 _Good, Ash. Good. Focus on the hunt and getting blood to him. Bray phased back; he's getting everything sorted now. Just do what you're able._

Mentally, I nodded. Then blocked him out before running again.

 **JulesPOV**

My hands were shaking so bad as I read the packwide text that I almost dropped the phone.

"Jules?" Rye asked. When I didn't answer, she was a bit more frantic. "Jules, are you okay? What is it?"

It was painful when I swallowed and looked up at Piper who was just lowering her phone. Horror and grief was written all over her face as she looked from me to Rye.

The girl swung her head between us, her hand digging for her phone. "Seriously, what's going on?"

I grabbed her hand when my own paralysis wore off. "Rye, it's Dox."

Her eyes flew wide. "What?" Her tone was shrill with panic. "He's not…is he…?"

"No," I said shaking my head. "But he's been hurt. We need to-,"

I fumbled my phone to answer it.

"Hello?"

"Jules," Mom yelled.

"I got the text."

"Jake and I are on our way to Seattle."

"I'm with Rye and Piper at the grocery in Forks. Can you swing by to pick us up?"

Mom spoke to Dad away from the phone before answering me. "We're on our way. Be ready."

Ten minutes later, the three of us were throwing ourselves into the Escalade while Dad burned rubber as he hit the gas.

 **QuinnPOV**

None of this was good.

My pack was pacing on the edge of the woods, nervous about the vampires rushing around. I stayed near the wolf called Dox, but shook my head at Rosie who kept giving me sharp looks. Out of all of them, she was the edgiest, the most dangerous of my pack. Her lip lifted every time a vamp got too close.

"Do you have medical training?" the closest vamp asked. He was handsome in an old-school kind of way. Bronze hair, slender form, and sharp features.

I shook my head as he moved my hands and pressed them down. When he moved away, I kept the pressure on Dox's body.

"Well, you've done great so far."

"I have no idea what I'm doing."

The man, Edward, looked up at me. "You saved my grandson's life."

I frowned, but didn't get the chance to ask before Dox's body started convulsing. I added more pressure just as Edward did, but Dox was huge. It was hard to hold him down. Gritting my teeth, I went up to my knees and put as much weight as I could into his body. Blood pooled around my hands up to my wrists. His shoulders bucked, head cracking back against the hard ground.

"Emmett!" Edward yelled.

A second later, the big vamp was there, holding those massive shoulders to the ground.

There was a shout behind me before a huge wolf appeared beside me with a few rabbits in his mouth.

"Slice their throats," Edward said. "He needs the blood, not the meat." He looked to the wolf. "Try to find bigger game for when he gets stronger."

When I turned, the wolf was already gone. Emmett and I traded places, putting Dox's head in my lap to better angle his mouth. Turning back to the carcasses, I split the throat of the nearest one with a claw before opening Dox's mouth. The blood spilled in but overflowed.

"Stroke his throat," Edward said.

Putting my bloody palm to the skin under his chin, I did as I was told. Under my hand, his throat convulsed, the blood seeping down.

"That's it, Dox," Edward murmured. "Alice, I need-,"

There was a hunting knife glowing orange at the tip between us.

I looked between it and Edward with wide eyes. "What are you going to do with that?"

Edward shook his head before moving for the wound. Feeling around, he opened up the skin before sliding the knife inside, a hissing sound rising up as blood seeped out. Dox's body convulsed again, but Edward and Emmett held him down while Alice reheated the knife with a lighter. When she handed it back, the same happened. It went on for a few minutes until the bleeding slowed and stopped.

"I think I got it," Edward said as he pulled back. "As long as he doesn't go into convulsions again. Try to get him to drink more."

Swallowing hard, I went back to my ministrations. The blood went down enough that I grabbed another rabbit. Edward took some string from Alice as well as a needle and began to stitch up the wound.

"It'll have to do until we can get him back to Carlisle and the medical setup we have."

"Or until I can get here," said a new voice.

I kept my attention mostly on Dox but glanced at the newcomer out of the corner of my eye. My wolves were on instant alert, a few growling and snarling. The female was all purple and white, and not just her clothes. She looked young, but I knew she wasn't. I could feel her age in the magic pouring from her. She was a witch.

Edward sighed. "I cauterized the internal wound, but it won't hold if he convulses."

The woman nodded. "Then that's the one I'll work on first."

"Thank you for coming, Mara."

"Of course. How could I not? I helped bring him into this world." She touched Edward's arm before coming to kneel at Dox's right side.

Now I did look at her fully. She watched me with eyes that had white pupils and purple irises.

"You're a witch," I said after a lengthy pause.

"And you're the one I spoke to on the phone," she said matter-of-fact, her hands hovering palm down over the wound on Dox's torso.

"I'm sorry if I offended you or…something." I hadn't understood that the woman was a witch. Otherwise, I would have given her more respect over the phone. Now, my guts quivered that I might have a witch pissed off with me.

A small smile graced those pale lips, but she didn't look at me again. "You didn't."

And that was that. Everyone shut up, even my wolves, while the witch did her thing. Soft light illuminated her hands. At first, it was a deep, dark red. The red of heart blood, blood that was never meant to see the light of day. I knew that it wasn't a good color to come from Dox's body. After a while, Mara closed her eyes, frowning. I discarded the second rabbit in favor for the third but didn't try to feed him. I didn't want to interrupt the healing.

"Go," she whispered. "Your people are restless. The energy is disturbing. See if you can get them to channel it into healing the boy."

Setting the carcass down, I nodded and stood up. I'd definitely need to burn these clothes. They were so heavy and soaked that they hadn't even started to dry. In fact, I made squishing noises as I walked over to my people. All fifteen of them gathered around me.

Of course, it was Wyatt who spoke first. He was a rather large, aggressive male who was too impulsive to be a true leader. "We need to get out of here," he hissed.

Before answering, my gaze moved to all of them, considering. They watched me back, waiting for me to speak. Somehow, I'd become the leader of this little ragtag group. At some point, they'd all started looking to me for affirmation.

I shook my head. "No."

"What?" Wyatt hissed again.

"If we leave," I said, keeping my voice low, "we're as good as dead. You know that." I motioned behind me. "They've offered us protection, and I fully intend on taking it. If you want to bail, then go for it. But I'm taking my nephew and going with them."

"And why do you trust their word?" Rosie demanded.

"Because they obviously know more about what's going on than we do. And my gut is telling me that Dox at least can be trusted. I will follow them if they can keep Thayer alive."

"That's all you care about," Wyatt sneered.

I shook my head. "Think what you like, Wyatt. I care about all of you. We've been together too long for me not to, but it's your choice. I won't make any of you do anything. We're all dominants in our own right. As for me, I feel safer with these guys. As soon as we leave the city, that male and his wolves will be waiting for us so they can clean up their mess. No witnesses. If any of you come with me, I promise to negotiate our safety. I'll make sure you're safe."

The others stood back to watch Wyatt and Rosie make a decision. If one of them sided with me, the others would follow.

Finally, Rosie looked at me with her hands on her hips. "All right. I'll go along with you."

Wyatt shook his head and glowered. "Really?"

Rosie turned on him like a small blonde storm. "Listen, you thick-headed moron. We've been letting Quinn lead us for a while now, and we're all still alive. I trust her decisions. And frankly, I agree with this one. She trusts them enough to keep _Thayer_ safe. When it comes to that kid, she takes everything into account. You know she doesn't take his safety lightly."

They glared at each other a moment longer. The two of them were the lovers in our little pack. Both swore that there wasn't anything between them beyond the fucking, but I could see differently. I saw the way they watched each other, making sure the other was safe. And when Rosie's cycles peaked, nobody was allowed near her because Wyatt became dangerously territorial. He'd give her everything she needed until the hormones left long enough for her to push him away.

Wyatt turned to me, lips pressed tightly. "You better know what the hell you're doing because if this chaos was a chance to get the fuck out of here and we die anyway because we missed it, I'm going to be pissed." Then he turned away towards the woods.

Rosie gave me a sympathetic look before following him. More than likely, he was worried about her safety, not his own.

While everyone else moved to mill around, I felt someone come up behind me.

"My grandson is stable enough to be moved," Edward said. When I turned, he continued. "We're taking him to Mara's house. It's secluded, about fifteen minutes outside of town. If you're coming, now's the time to let us know."

The air was crisp in my lungs when I breathed deep. "We're coming with, but we'll have to run. We don't have vehicles."

"I called Ash. He's on his way back from the hunt. He'll have to run, too, since he doesn't have extra clothes. My sister, Rosalie, will take the truck he and Dox drove. Ash will meet you here; follow him to Mara's."

I nodded but said, "What about my nephew?"

"The young one you spoke about?"

I just stared at him.

"Where is he?"

"In the city with one of ours." They were in a low-key motel that was old but well kept.

The vampire's eyes narrowed on my face before he nodded. "I know the place. Once Dox is stable at Mara's and you've found her territory safe, I'll come with you to get them."

I was about to nod when I realized what he'd said. "Wait, how do you-,"

He tapped his temple. "My gift, besides speed, is to read thoughts. I know you're wary of us, but I saw the motel in your mind. We'll take care of you and of him. My family and I don't harm children. Maddox and Ash are my grandsons. I have a daughter of my own. And we don't feed from humans. Our food source is animals." He tapped the corner of his eye. "That's the why of the color."

Rosie had been right; I didn't gamble with Thayer's safety. I gave the vampire hard eyes. "Thayer is the only blood I have left. I am putting his life in your hands." The thought closed my throat. I'd never even trusted my own pack with my nephew, the exception being Lola.

Gently, Edward put a hand on my shoulder. "I swear to you that I will see to his safety."

As we walked toward where they were loading Dox into an SUV, I prayed that I wasn't making a huge mistake.

 **JacobPOV**

"Jacob, for the love of God, slow down!" Ness shouted as she gripped my shoulder, her nails digging through my shirt.

"This is our son, Ness!" I shouted back.

I felt her glare on the side of my head. "And I understand that, but we won't be able to help him if you get us wrapped around the back of a semi. Slow. Down."

 _Not a chance_ , I thought. My boy needed us, needed me. I wasn't about to waste time on speed limits.

Nessie's nails dug in enough to draw blood as I swerved through traffic.

"Wait! Hold on, guys," Ryell said. She leaned forward, her hand hitting the back of my seat. "Ash just texted me. The Cullens got Dox to Mara's. He's stable."

There was a pause as I took in her words. Then, relief so sharp that my lungs burned rushed through me. Beside me, Ness's breathing was shaky as she yanked her own phone out and started to dial.

In the rearview mirror, I met Rye's gaze. That hazel-sherry was bright through the sparkling of tears that had yet to fall. She put her hand on my shoulder. "He's going to be fine," she whispered.

I pressed my cheek to the top of her hand and nodded.

"Ash? Baby, are you okay?"

"Put it on speaker, Ness," I told her.

"-okay, Mom. I promise," Ash was saying once she hit the button. Just hearing his voice made my heart flutter in that paternal way that told me my son was safe. "We were able to get some rabbit blood into his system before Mara got to him. She's pretty sure that saved his life."

"Oh, baby," Ness said, tears choking her. "Dad and I are on our way, okay? We'll be there soon. And we have Ryell with us. Hopefully having her close will help."

"Yeah, sure. Sounds good." His tone was flat and distant like he didn't know what we actually said.

Ness and I shared a worried look.

I cleared my throat. "Are you sure you're okay, son?"

Ash took a long time to answer, his throat clearing over and over. "Ah, yeah. Yeah, I'm fine."

"Ash," I said in a way that told him to spill or I'd beat it out of him when I got there.

He cleared his throat again. "Physically, I'm fine."

"But?" Ness prompted.

"But-," his voice cracked. "But I saw him go down right in front of me. Quinn and I carried his body-,"

"Quinn?" The word was a demand since I was suddenly on alert. "Who is Quinn?"

Behind me, there was a low growl before it was sharply cut off and followed by a cough.

There was a rushing sound on the phone like he was blowing out a breath. "She helped save Dox's life, Dad. At this point, I'm going to say she's one of the good guys. Look, there's a lot I need to tell you. But later, when you get here. Right now, I really want to stay near Dox."

Ness held up a hand to stop the protests. "Of course, of course. Stay with your brother. We'll be there soon, I promise."

"I'll text you if anything changes."

After he hung up and the dial tone sounded, Ness shut her phone down and reached out for my hand, squeezing hard.

"Hit the gas, Jake," she said, her voice low. "Get me to my sons."

Not a male that liked to disappoint his woman, I did as she commanded.

* * *

Close to an hour later, tires squealed as I slammed the brakes in Mara's carport. The house was good size with at least five bedrooms. The concrete of the carport took up a good portion of the side yard. I recognized two of the vehicles as we all spilled out of the Escalade. Rye beat the rest of us to the door, nearly knocking it clean off the hinges. Luckily, Cricket was there to open it just before she hit. The psychic pointed somewhere in the house, and Rye was gone from sight.

Ness and I were next with Jules and Piper hot on our heels.

Cricket gave us a sad smile. "Good to see you, Cujo. Even under these circumstances."

"He's alive," I said as I moved inside, following Rye's scent. "That's all that matters. He'll heal."

The smile turned brighter. "That he will. Mara's in with him right now. Ash is in the room, too." She walked with us down one of the hallways. When a small head poked out from on of the doors, she said, "Brennan, go find your brother and stay with him. Watch a movie or something, okay?"

The girl ducked her head before scurrying around us toward where we'd just come from.

"Yours?" I asked.

She nodded, giving us a dry look. "Child is a menace, I swear."

I ruffled her hair. "Just like someone I know."

Narrowing her eyes, she pushed my arm away. "That's enough out of you, pup."

I snorted. "I haven't been a puppy for a long time, you overgrown bug."

When we reached the others, Rye and Jules were glaring at me.

"What?" I asked.

Jules's expression turned pained. "How can you toss witty banter right now? With Dox injured?"

Going to my baby girl, I wrapped my arms around her. She resisted for a moment before melting against my chest. "He's alive, baby. But you're right, I'm sorry."

Ness was hovering at the door, staring at it so hard that I thought she might actually be able to see through it. She was poised on her toes as though she was going to rush through as soon as it opened. Jules clung to me as we all watched Ness and that door. Piper hung back, her phone in her hands. No doubt she was playing the messenger so that we could be ready to be there for Dox.

"Cujo?" Cricket asked quietly.

I tilted my head to let her know I was listening.

She moved so close to me that her clothes brushed my arm so that she could whisper, "Who are the others milling about the woods?"

Looking at her, I frowned.

Surprisingly, Emmett appeared close by. "They were responsible for the attack on the innocents."

"What?" Ryell said, her head snapping around. "Why are they here? Who's guarding them?"

Emmett shook his head. "They aren't the true enemy. They were threatened into doing the dirty work for a more powerful pack leader."

"What dirty work?" I asked.

"Recruiting." Emmett met my gaze with a raised eyebrow. "The leader of the group outside says they're a nomadic pack of dominants and that none of them knew about the neutrality agreement in Seattle. The aggressor threatened to harm a young one in their group if they didn't cooperate."

After mulling it all over, I said, "I'd like to talk to this leader."

"She and Edward went to pick up the child where she stashed him in the city."

"Let me know when they get back?"

He nodded just as the door to the room opened. Ness almost flew forward and ran into Ash as he came out. My youngest son looked exhausted and haggard. The clothes he was wearing were clean, but I knew he'd phased to hunt for Dox, so these were new. His black eyes were sunken in and dull, hair disheveled.

"Ash?"

Blinking, he looked up as if coming out of a daze. "Mom?"

Moving forward, Ness took his face in her hands. "Are you okay? You look exhausted."

He gripped her wrists, smiling tiredly. "I'm all right, Mom. Just worried. You guys got here fast." That last he said with a look at me.

Ness smiled. "You know your father has a lead foot. Especially when it comes to his kids."

Jules broke away from me to go to her brother. Gently, she moved her mother out of the way so she could hug him. "How is he?"

Ash wrapped his arms tight around her, resting his cheek on her head. "Unconscious but Mara says the worst is over. The internal wounds are healed. He needs at least one more blood transfusion and fluids."

The hallway let out a collective sigh of relief. Cricket patted my shoulder and smiled.

Behind my two kids, Mara appeared in the doorway. She looked even worse than Ash. In fact, she even leaned against the doorjamb while wiping her hands on a bloodstained rag. "Ash is correct. Maddox will be fine. He'll need to feed again along with the blood transfusion. I didn't have enough energy to heal the surface wounds, but the fatal internal wounds have been mended. I've stitched up the rest. It'll be a few days before he can phase, even with his vampire blood." She looked at Ness and Ryell. "He's out of it right now, but you're welcome to go sit with him. I've cleaned up the room."

Ryell rushed inside but Ness paused to put a hand on Mara's arm. "Thank you for doing your part to save my son."

Mara nodded tiredly but moved out of the doorway so it could be shut.

Moving forward, I grabbed her arm before she fell over but her legs gave out. Scooping her up into my arms, I looked at Cricket.

Mara patted my chest. "Put me down. I'm fine."

"No, you're not. You depleted your energy, and now you need to rest. We'll take care of everything else. Edward should be back soon enough to tend to Dox if needed." I motioned to Cricket to start walking.

Nodding silently, she moved across the house to another hallway to open one of the doors. To my surprise, her room was painted a soft coral with sea glass accents. It was like stepping into a hotel room on the beach. The bed was fluffed up, and she sank into it as I laid her down.

"The soft colors are good for healing," Cricket said quietly as Mara settled with a sigh.

I just nodded before tucking a blanket around her.

In Dox's room, when I finally made it there, Ness was hovering over the bed checking his wounds. Rye was on the other side but up at his head, stroking his hair out of his eyes. It was longer than he normally kept it, but I understood that haircuts were not a priority when one had other people to protect. Dox took his job of helping Walker very seriously. Sometimes, I thought I should feel betrayed since his focus was on another pack. But I had three other children to help look after the rez. Dox was perfect for his role with the Children. Out of my four kids, he was the one who shared the most characteristics with his mate's people. He was the most aggressive, the most instinctive of my brood.

When I stepped up to the bed, I hissed at all the stitches in my son's torso. From upper chest down to his hips, there was nothing but ragged skin held together with black thread. Despite his perma-tan, his skin was pale and waxy. Even his lips were too colorless for comfort.

Ash came from a chair in the corner of the room to stand beside me. "He'll be pissed if he doesn't even have a scar from this."

Rye snorted but sniffled, too. "Tough. I'm not rubbing salt in the wounds just so he can have a wicked scar." She stared at my son's face the whole time she talked, not even acknowledging us with a glance. The words were said to us but meant for him.

Ness moved back from the bed to tuck herself under my arm against my side. Ash took her place, squeezing his twin's bicep. "He took the blow for us, for me and Quinn. He may not have consciously thought about it, but he put himself ahead of us at the door."

Rye growled a little. "Who _is_ this Quinn?" she demanded in frustration.

She and Ash shared a stare.

"Nobody you need to feel threatened by," Ash finally answered. "Just a female put in a tough position. Dox was more amicable toward her than I was so she likes him better. He was the one to get through to her, and she helped save his life. If she hadn't been there to staunch the bleeding, he would have died on the car ride. His lifeblood would be soaking through the truck." His tone turned cold during his little speech and I knew the expression that went along with that tone. "So, show a little civility toward her. The last thing she wants to do is fuck him. Your place as his female is secure."

Ness, Rye, and I stared at him in dumbfounded silence. Though I wanted to step in, I knew I shouldn't. The two of them were leaders, and they needed to learn to get along or to take criticism gracefully. Ash wasn't mad at her specifically, more at the situation.

He turned and went for the door. "I'm going to talk to Mara about his aftercare."

"I'll go with you," I said, pulling away from Ness. She nodded in understanding that I wanted a moment with Ash.

My youngest always felt strongly when one of his siblings was hurt either physically or emotionally. He was cold toward anybody who did anything against them while they were vulnerable. And with Rye about Quinn, Ash clearly felt that Quinn was the main reason Dox had kept his life. Ash was feeling a debt there. Most likely we'd be paying that debt by housing Quinn and her people. That's a debt I could live with for my son's life.

Out in the hall, I closed the door quietly. Ash stared at the opposite wall taking deep breaths.

"Son?" I asked quietly. "Are you okay?"

He took more breaths, but instead of calm, they were heavy and aggressive, each one laced with a growl.

My touch was light when I put my hand on his shoulder. "Ash-,"

"I can't pretend to feel anything other than angry, Dad. He almost died. My brother almost-," his voice cracked. "He almost died right in front of me. Even with my inhuman strength and power, I couldn't do anything. If Quinn hadn't done what she had, he'd be dead because all I could think about was getting him in a car and _to a fucking hospital._ "

"Ash, son, that's the human part of you that knows hospitals save lives. Hospitals are where the doctors are."

Shaking his head violently, he pulled away from me so he could turn to face me. "No, Dad," he said forcefully. "No. I should have done what she did. I should have _known_ to do what she did. Instead, I wanted to run for someone else to save him. We've always taken advantage of Carlisle, too much advantage. But he wasn't there this time. He wasn't there and Dox almost died because of my stupidity."

Now, I grabbed him by the shoulders and ducked my head until we met gazes. "You are not stupid, Ash. Ignorant of medical training, yes. But not stupid. I never want to hear you say that again. So, tell me why you didn't drive him straight here."

Ash frowned, his eyes unfocused as he thought. "Because Dox was too hurt. I knew Grampa was there with Quinn and her people. There was closer than here, so I knew I had to get Dox to Grampa because Grampa would know what to do. And magick is slow, so Dox may have bled out before Mara could heal him enough anyway if he'd survived the trip here."

I clapped the side of his neck. "See? Not stupid. You saved his life, too, Ash." I let that sink in enough that he relaxed and nodded. But that haunted look was still there. I pulled him against me in a tight hug. "He's going to be fine, son. That's what we have to focus on. Now, let's go talk to Mara if she hasn't passed out yet."

 **RyellPOV**

A million emotions were pounding through my heart as my fingers stroked Dox's cheek. Anger, fear, jealousy, guilt.

That last was going to rip me apart.

There was a soft touch on my hair.

"Rye, honey, it's okay."

I closed my eyes, fighting the burning. "I should have been with him."

"What?" Aunt Ness asked softly.

Despite how tight my eyelids were, the tears slipped. "I should have been here with him, Aunt Ness. He told me that something had happened here in Seattle, and I should have come with him and Ash. _Quinn,_ " I said bitterly, "should have been my problem. Dox isn't a Child."

"No, but he is your mate. Just because he doesn't have Child blood doesn't mean he sees the line separating you from him, Ryell. To him, you're all wolves, and he's going to be your partner. This was as much his problem as yours in his eyes. Besides, my family was here, too. No doubt, he thought that he and Ash could handle it. Are you really jealous about Quinn?"

"Yes…no. I don't know, okay? What I don't like is the fact that she would have been the last female he'd ever seen if he had died. I hate that. I hate that she was the one to keep him alive."

Gently but firmly, my soon-to-be mother-in-law turned me away from my mate so that she could give me stern eye contact. "Ryell, I understand that you and Dox taking your relationship to the next step is still new and you're very territorial right now, but you need to step back emotionally. Do you really want to be mad that this female saved your mate's life, or do you want to be grateful that he's in this bed breathing because of a stranger who didn't have to help but did anyway?" When she paused, she gave me a look and nod. "I suggest you come to terms with the fact that, when he wakes up, Dox is going to feel a debt toward Quinn. There's no telling what she might ask for but know this: my son will not dishonor his relationship with you. He loves you a great deal and would never hurt you. Other than a mating, she could ask for just about anything from him, and he'd give it. But your debt to her? Your gratitude. If what Ash says is true-," she choked on the tears, looking at the bed. "If it's true, then Dox wouldn't be here right now. Your future with my son would be gone. You haven't met her yet, but you owe her more than your jealousy." Looking back to Dox, she gently stroked his face before rubbing his bare shoulder. Then she met my gaze again. "I'm going to go give my thanks to Quinn and let her know that you'll be out soon."

The door closed behind her with a soft but definitive click.

"My mom's right," Jules said softly when she stepped forward. She'd been standing in the corner through everything, her gaze on her brother the whole time as though if she took her eyes off him, he'd disappear or fade away. I was about to answer in frustration when she continued. "However, I see where you're coming from, Rye. I'd be insanely jealous, too, if some female had Bray put in a life debt for her. I'd be pissed that I wasn't the one to save his life."

"Thank you," I offered, my throat thick with emotion. "That means a lot."

Over her brother's prone body, Jules reached out to put her hand on my arm comfortingly. "Mom doesn't know what it's like to have that feeling. Yes, she's a vampire and can be territorial over Dad, but when it comes to his life, she'd be eternally grateful to anything that may have had a part in saving him without an ounce of anything else. But we're wolves, which is a totally different animal than a vampire. We're not cold. When we feel, it's with heat, fire. But Mom is right. You can subtly let this Quinn know that Dox is a one female type of male without being overly aggressive about it. Stay with him as long as you need. I'll smooth over whatever I need to until you're ready."

I nodded. "Thank you, Jules."

Her smile was small and sad and still slightly afraid as she leaned over to kiss her brother's cheek. "I would have been pissed if you'd died, asshole," she whispered.

As a genuine smile forced my lips up, I could have sworn the corners of Dox's mouth twitched upward, too. When she straightened up again, Jules reached out to me, using my neck to bring me close enough for her to kiss my forehead.

When the door closed with a click, I sat down on the side of the bed, pulling Dox's arm across my lap so that I was somewhat encased by his warmth. My thumb ran circles over the tops of his fingers while I contemplated the things that both Jules and Ness had said. And of course, I agreed with both. Nessie was right; I owed Quinn all my gratitude because surely Dox wouldn't be here now. He may have still made it to this bed, but not alive, not breathing and still warm. Bringing his hand up, I kissed the back of it before twisting around to face him. My eyes caught the marks I'd left last night on his muscular arms and solid shoulders. I shivered. It was so hard to think that just last night, less than twenty-four hours ago, we were both experiencing earth-shattering pleasure, and now, here we were. As I sat there, I realized that I'd been taking my time with Dox for granted. None of our people hated Dox or me enough to challenge us for leadership, so all of our troubles of late were of the political variety. I'd become complacent, utterly unexpectant of physical danger to either of us.

"I want to hate you so bad," I whispered, tracing my fingertips over a set of scratches running down his shoulder. "I want to hate you for running out here and putting yourself in danger while you left me at home." Now I gripped his bicep. "I should have been with you," I hissed through my teeth at his unmoving expression. "This was my problem, too. Not just yours." But the anger didn't last long as it was washed away on a flood of tears. "But I understand why you came. I just hate that you feel you have to prove yourself to my people, my father. I know that's not the only reason you rushed out here with Ash, but I know it's one of them." Leaning over, I brushed a kiss on his lips. "I have to go take care of something, but I'll be right back. I promise."

It took all the effort I had to pull away and leave him in that room. Ash was waiting in the hall and went to sit with him. He gave me a nod as he went in as if he knew what I was about to do.

Mara's house was actually pretty big. There were six good size bedrooms divided up between three hallways. The kitchen was massive as was the living room. Brennan and her brother were sitting on the couch, munching on popcorn while watching a movie. It had been a while since we'd seen the kids, and they were huge now. Brennan gave me a toothy grin as I walked by. I could only offer a small smile when I passed.

Outside, the sky was overcast, the scent of rain on the air. Autumn was coming. The scent of wet, rotting things coated the senses. Milling about the open grounds of the property, strange wolves were casting wary glances toward the house and the woods. Many spotted me walking purposefully toward them and converged around the two females talking with Ness and Jules. One of them had a young boy wrapped around her waist. When the wolves surrounded their members, Jules looked over her shoulder. She gave me a slight nod before moving to the side.

I took her place, staring out at all the others. "Which one of you is Quinn?"

I spoke loud enough for all of them to hear, but I knew the female in question was one of the two standing in front of me.

The aggressive blonde stepped forward, a male shadowing her. But the redhead with the kid wrapped around her grabbed her arm. When the blonde glared at her, she shook her head and pulled her back.

The redhead stepped forward. "I am. I'm Quinn."

I locked gazes with those bright green eyes. We stared at each other for about three heartbeats before I bowed at the waist.

When I straightened, I found several surprised expressions turned in my direction. But I put a hand over my heart and said, "I owe you my gratitude, but more than that, a life debt. I am Ryell Johnson, the mate of Maddox Black. The man you saved is my life. He is my very soul, and I would be nothing without him. So you saved two lives today, his and mine. For that, we both owe you a great deal. Whatever resources you need, they're yours."

The female hugged the boy tighter to her and lifted her chin. "I know what it's like to lose someone you love with all your heart. I know it is to pick yourself back for the people who still need you, but at the same time, a piece of yourself lost forever to that pain. You owe me nothing. It was my moral code and threat of guilty conscience that forced me to act. Not to mention the fact that Maddox took that blow for me and Ash. There are those among my group who think we should have run instead of come here. They wanted us free of the conflict that we were dragged into. But when they looked to me for direction, I brought them here because Dox offered us protection. Despite what we did, your family hasn't acted against us. I won't disrespect that by running."

We did some more staring, sifting through the formal words.

After a moment, I smiled a little and nodded. "Then it seems we owe each other. We'll need your help against this new threat."

When Quinn and I smiled at the same time, the blonde stepped forward.

We turned to her.

"So, we're not to be punished?" she demanded, crossing her arms.

Frowning, I turned to share a look with Ness and Jules.

Jules asked, "Punished for what? Being threatened and deceived? My grandfather told us that those who were infected are being kept somewhere secure. Ryell's father is the leader of the closest local pack of your kind of wolf. I'm sure they'll see to it that those who were infected will be cared for. You're not going to be punished."

"Of course not," Nessie said. "And my son's word will hold true. We'll make sure you're taken care of."

"But," I added pointedly. "You'll have to understand that if you stay with us, you will be watched by the enforcers. Our pack is not like others. We're a peaceful pack, so we leaders are protective of our people."

The female opened her mouth, but Quinn touched her again. "Rosie. Please." Then she looked to us. "We understand. We're a small group, but dominants for the most part, and we did attack innocents. It's understandable. But know this, we will do what we have to in order to atone for what we did. As I told Dox, most of us left our packs to become omegas because we _wouldn't_ hurt innocents. Our actions were deplorable, and I know I at least will fight to make things right, to bring down the male that threatened us to commit this crime."

"And when the time comes," Jacob said as he joined us, "you will inherit those you brought into our world. They will be your responsibility."

Quinn and Rosie shared a look before the former looked up at the alpha. "With all due respect, we're not a true pack, but just a group of travelling omegas. There isn't one true ruler that leads us."

Jake lifted a brow. "And yet here you are speaking for them, making the decisions that they follow. You said that a few disagreed with coming here, and yet, did any of them leave?"

Quinn shook her head but said, "I gave up my right to lead a pack when I left my father and our people."

"Leading isn't something you always have to be born into," a new voice said. "They chose you to make decisions because you've kept them alive. It's those who follow you that make you a leader."

Piper was walking toward us, her hands in her pockets. The long black hair that flowed down her back waved behind her in the wind like a cape. She came to stand beside me, chin raised.

When the pack got a good look at her, one of the males dropped to his knees and started praying in a different language.

Quinn and Rosie turned to stare at him and a couple more who had done the same, praying in the same language. The words sounded Asian, Chinese maybe.

"What are they saying?" Rosie asked when Quinn turned back to stare at Piper.

"They're praying to give thanks to the power of the born alpha before us," she whispered.

Rosie's head snapped around to stare as well.

And then in twos and threes, they all started dropping to their knees.

Piper breathed deeply through her nose, a breath that moved her shoulders while she watched them. "I will not take you into my own pack, but I, my uncle, and the other leaders we have in our alliances will help you to learn to be a pack. The first thing you have to do is choose who will lead you, who you trust."

Quinn lifted her head to look at Piper while the gazes of her pack turned to her.

Piper stepped forward and crouched down on her haunches. "They've chosen you, Quinn. Even now, they look to you. I'm not very experienced myself, but I was raised by strong leaders and now lead my own people. We will help you so that you are never again at the mercy of others."

"We're at your mercy," Rosie said.

"No," Piper said, shaking her head. "You're free to leave whenever you want, but our protection will only go so far. Once you leave our lands, it will end because you gave us nothing in return to help catch this pack leader who is turning innocents. Yes, you saved Dox's life, and for that we will welcome you back should you need our help. We will always owe you for his life. But if you choose to leave now, our protection stays to our territories only. We will not reach out to our allies to ask them to look after you because we don't know you as well as we might if you stayed for us to get to know you."

Frowning, I shared a look with Jacob. His expression was the same as my thoughts. We weren't exactly happy that she was making a deal for all of us. However, the deal was fair, and it would undermine her power if we disagreed. So, I gave Jacob a look that said, _well at least I agree._ He tilted his head in a way that I knew it was a shrug.

Piper straightened from her crouch to look down on Quinn. "Are those acceptable terms?" she asked.

Quinn looked to Rosie, but also looked at a large male directly behind Rosie. From under his brows, he gave us a considering look before nodding to Quinn. Looking back to us, she stood but bowed at the neck. "I agree to the terms, and we will stay to help."

Piper nodded. "Good. Emmett and Jasper are working to get vehicles big enough to carry all of us home. Hopefully Dox will be well enough to travel by then."

With that, she nodded to all of us before turning to walk away.

I gave the new wolves one last look before following.

 **PiperPOV**

As I headed back toward the house, I knew I was being followed.

"You want to know why I made that deal with them without consulting with you or Uncle Jake," I said to Ryell as I caught her scent.

"I'm not saying I disagree with it. I'm just wondering what is it about you being a born alpha that they see as higher than the rest of us? Why did they bow to you? Why do they give thanks for your power?"

Stopping with my back still to her, I hugged my arms around myself. "I don't know. To be honest, I still don't understand this born alpha stuff. Maybe those who prayed can help me with that. But I am not greater than you, Ryell. Or Uncle Jake. I'm not better than anybody."

She was the one to walk around to face me. "Then why those terms without talking to us?"

"Because we know nothing about them. How can we promise them safe passage with our allies when they could easily turn against them? Quinn said it herself, many of them are dominants in their own right. If there's anything I've learned from Jason and the enforcers it's that a small group of dominants can easily take over a large pack of betas. I wouldn't subject that to our allies. Our own territories hold a lot of power to control them while they're here. We'd be both protecting and keeping watch over them."

Ryell touched my shoulder. "Are you okay?"

Letting my confident expression fall, I looked worriedly up at the sky. "Something doesn't feel right. There's this…this writhing pit in my stomach. I feel grief when there isn't a loss to mourn yet. I've been feeling it for a while, since the attack on Casey, maybe even before that. That's they why for the terms. We'll need all the help we can get. Quinn and her people are strong. They're omegas that have survived being nomads in a world that is not kind to people like them. I feel that keeping them close is the right thing."

A comforting hand settled on my back. "Then we will keep them close," Uncle Jake said.

Wrapping his arm around me, he pulled me close to kiss the top of my head.

When the two of them walked away, leaving me to myself, a tear slipped as I stared up at the sky again.

We didn't lose Dox today, but something told me that loss was coming to our home whether we were prepared or not.

* * *

 **So? How do we feel about this convergence? Please please let me know! I love the actual reviews that say more than "please update soon". I want to read reviews with some meat to them! Please, I beg you! I love you guys! xoxoxo**


	23. Chapter 23

**Hey, guys! I am not dead even though I kind of feel like it. Sooooo, this story is kind of not coming to me the way I thought it would. Things are wishy-washy and an overall pain in the butt. Yes, I was sick again, and I am still kinda sick, but I've still been working on this. I'm already working on the next chapter, so hopefully after the next one, we'll get to the party. Right now, we've got some _serious_ family drama to get through. This story is going to be longer than I anticipated.**

 **Now, I love all of you and everything you have to review and say. However, a lot of you post reviews as guests and I can't reply! And you ask some great questions! So, I created a new email account that is going to be specifically for anybody from here to message me and ask questions. That's probably a bad idea because I know a lot of you have questions and remarks, but it'll be the best way to keep in touch with you guys. I may not answer immediately, but I will as soon as possible. I'm so sorry that I keep taking forever to update. I hate it as much as you guys do.**

 **That email is: lauramaeveff gmail. com (Don't add the spaces. I just had to add them so it would post) (and the "at" sign before gmail please!)**

 **Now, please enjoy!**

* * *

 **ColePOV**

"Could you cover the practice for me? I have a family emergency," I asked Zach.

He looked up from his maps and plays at his small desk. "Sure. Everything okay?"

Standing up, I slipped into my jacket. "I don't know. My brother-in-law was hurt. They're bringing him home, and I'd like to be there."

"Of course. I'll just use the plans you already have for this practice so as not to shake things up too bad."

I clapped his shoulder on my way out. "Thanks, man. See you tomorrow."

Before I went to the car, I stopped by the locker room to tell the guys to be good and practice hard. Then I was in the car and making my way up to the Cullen house. I must have been the first to arrive because the driveway and yard were empty. It was now a waiting game to have my man back in my arms, back in my sight so I could assure myself that he was fine. But before I went inside to wait with Esme and Carlisle, I leaned against the car and breathed. All the texts I'd been getting all day were few words and no real explanations. But all of them managed to cause fear to bubble up from my gut because not many of them were from Ash. He was more than likely freaking out over Dox too much to worry about easing my worry which was understandable. I'd be the same if Victoria was hurt. But my understanding didn't stop me from being irritated.

With a deep sigh, I pushed away from the car and started for the house. Behind me, tires squealed on pavement. I paused and watched the woods around the drive, waiting for whoever was about to crash through the brush. About a minute later, Will's Jeep sped through the woods only to skid in the mud when he hit the brakes.

He was out of the vehicle not even two seconds after it was turned off. "What the hell is going on?" he demanded as he stormed toward me.

Hunter gave me a sympathetic look as she exited the car slower than her husband had. As she set about getting Cordy from the back, I faced Will.

Who was eyeing me suspiciously. "Why aren't you freaking out?" Mouth opened to answer, Will steamrolled over me. "You knew they went to Seattle, didn't you?" His tone was accusing.

Holding up my hands in surrender, I nodded as we waited for Hunter to make her way over with Cordy, who was jumping in mud puddles. "This morning. Ash got a call from Edward saying there was another attack in the city on a bigger scale. Ash was the only one to answer his phone it seems."

Will frowned. "I never got a call or a text."

Well, that surprised me. Ash must have been one of the first to be called, and once he was reached, Edward apparently didn't feel the others were necessary. Instead of saying that, though, I shrugged. "I don't know. But it doesn't surprise me that Dox would have intercepted him. It was pretty early this morning, so Dox may have seen Ash walking in that determined way he does and got suspicious."

Will growled. "Well, what the fuck happened? I just got a call from Mom telling me to get to the Cullen house, that they were coming in hot with Dox for Carlisle to look him over."

Dammit, I did not want to get in the middle of family business.

But Will wasn't going to give me a choice as he noticed my hesitation, realizing that I might know more than he did.

Balling his fist into the collar of my shirt, he dragged me toward him until we were nose to nose. His lip lifted in a snarl. "What. The. Fuck. Happened?"

"William!" Hunter snapped angrily.

I held my hand out toward her to let her know I was okay. "I don't know," I said calmly to the angry werewolf vibrating in front of me. "All I know is that Dox was hurt. They got him stable with Mara's help, and they're bringing him home. That's all Ash's text said."

A moment later, Hunter was beside us, gripping Will's wrist. She glared up at him. "Let him go. Right now. This isn't his fault." Her accent was heavy and thick with her anger. "He doesn't know much more than we do. If you have a problem with that, you should take it up with your father."

Still holding tightly to my shirt, Will's gaze moved to his mate. The look they shared let me know that there was more to the problem than just this incident. Hunter raised her brows in a challenge, her hand squeezing down just a little more.

"You're scaring your daughter," she said through her teeth.

In the distance, another set of tires turned onto the drive. Whoever was behind the wheel had a lead foot. Will and I stared each other down for a long moment before there was the sound of even more tires. Two vehicles?

Will's grip eased as he looked down to where Cordy was hiding behind Hunter's legs just as the first SUV sailed into the clearing. Will's gaze swung to the car before he looked back to me and let go, allowing me to step back. "I'm sorry, Cole. God, I'm so sorry."

I straightened my shirt. "It's okay, Will. This is your family. I'd be mad, too, if I got minimal details."

He ran a hand through his hair. "Yeah but I shouldn't have put my hands on you."

Figuring it was useless to argue, I simply said, "Apology accepted."

He nodded but was already crouching next to Hunter's legs. "It's all right, baby girl. I'm not mad, and I'm not going to hurt Uncle Cole. I promise." He held out his arms. "Come here." Timidly, she went to his arms and allowed him to pick her up. He kissed her temple. "I'm sorry I scared you, baby."

She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and pressed her face to his neck.

Hunter was still giving her husband a stern look. I knew that look; he was in trouble when they had a moment alone.

Ash jumped out of the Escalade while a black utility van with dark windows pulled up beside Jacob's vehicle. My boyfriend strode over with purpose, his frown swinging from Will to me. The truck that Ash and Dox had taken this morning wasn't far behind the van.

"What was that about?" Ash demanded when he got to me.

I shook my head. "Later. What's going on?"

He turned back to the van, watching the doors open. "Dox will heal, but he's still unconscious."

"What happened?" Will asked significantly less aggressively than he'd demanded of me. But of course, Cordy was still wrapped around him. He wasn't about to scare her again.

Ash turned back to us. "We'll have a pack meeting, and everything will be explained."

He was about to walk off to join some strangers who had hauled Dox out of the back of the van on a makeshift stretcher, but Will grabbed his arm with a growl, turning him back. "No, you're going to tell me right fucking now."

Ash gave his eldest brother a stunned look, his mouth open slightly. They stared at each other for a long moment before Ash turned back and nodded. "Yeah, sure."

The story wasn't too long or convoluted, but long enough for the clearing to empty out. Toward the end, though, wolves started skulking from the shadows, hovering around the edge of the woods. If they were Quileute, they were listening and passing it on to the others. Some, I knew, were Children, and more than likely would relay the story to Walker and Jason.

Just as Ash was finishing up, the front door opened. Jacob closed it behind him as he stood on the wrap-around porch and took deep breaths.

Beside me, Will glared at his Dad.

Some shit was about to go down, so I nudged Ash. "Why don't we go in, check on Dox?"

"Good idea," Ash mumbled when he noticed the glare. "What's up with him?"

I shook my head and said again, "Later."

"Hunter," Will said in a low, dangerous tone. "Take Cordy and go with them." He detached his daughter from around his neck and leaned forward to give her to her mother.

"Will," she said in warning but took Cordy.

"Go," he ordered with an expression set in stone. He expected to be obeyed.

Shaking her head and grumbling about idiotic men, Hunter joined me and Ash as we headed into the house.

 **JacobPOV**

I knew Will was angry the moment he sent his family inside with Ash and Cole.

But I didn't realize how angry until he was marching toward me with that glare on his face.

I watched him cautiously. "Will? What's wrong?"

"What's wrong?" he echoed in a demand. His anger carried him to the bottom of the porch steps where he stopped. "You tell me, Dad. You and Seth and the others have been keeping me out of shit."

I frowned, but my gut sank. I'd been dreading this fight and had hoped it would never come. "What are you talking about?" I asked carefully.

He scoffed. "Don't play dumb with me. Lately, any important events that happen, I find out through 'pack meetings'. And don't think I haven't noticed that I'm not getting any patrol hours. So, tell me, when did I stop being a part of this family?"

We stared at each other, him glaring, me watching.

Finally, I said, "You have a family, Will-,"

"That didn't stop you," he interrupted. "Don't give me that horseshit, Dad. I am the eldest son of the alpha, so I shouldn't be kept out of the loop. Dox was hurt and I got minimal details. Hell, Cole knew more than I did about what was going on. I never even got a call that something had happened in Seattle. Do _not_ tell me that you've been benching me because of Cordy and this baby. You know damn well that's not a legitimate excuse when you'd be a hypocrite for it."

"Son," I pleaded, "Cordy needs her father, and this new baby will, too. Hunter needs you. You're right, I didn't sit out, but you have to understand that we didn't have the same numbers when you were little. We've got leaders coming out of the woodwork. So, what if I want you to have a normal life, to be there for your family? After what happened to Seth, can you really blame me for wanting the best for my son, for all my kids?"

My words got through to him enough that his expression smoothed. But he said, "And yet you're not pushing Jules, Dox, and Ash to the side. For all we know, Jules could be pregnant. Hell, Ash is going to be a dad if what I've been told is true. He and Cole are adopting Victoria's baby. We're growing up, Dad. Kids will be inevitable." The anger making a comeback, he stepped forward and pointed at me. "I am tired of being treated like this. I am a part of this family, and I should be your right hand. Instead, I'm being sequestered away like some fragile baby. The pack is my family, too. Hunter understands that. _You_ understand that. If anything, I and my siblings should be pushing _you_ to retire, but we know how important our people are to you. So, you have a choice, Dad. Either you start including me again or I swear by all that is holy I will move my ass back into your house and glue myself to your side. _Or_ you can disown me. Now, while you think about that, I'm going to see my brother."

When he passed me, I gripped his arm at the bend of the elbow. "I will never disown you, William. You and your siblings are everything to me. I will never give you up or turn you out. You have my word that I will include you. You should talk to Seth about the patrol shifts."

Will scrutinized my face before gripping my bicep and nodding. "I need to see Dox."

I squeezed his arm. "Your brother's going to be fine, son. One of the females helped save his life, as did Edward and Mara."

He nodded. "Ash told me. But I need to see him."

With a dip of my chin, I let him go but turned to watch him. It was so hard to see him as a grown man. Physically, he was my size, but whenever I looked at him, I saw my baby boy sitting on the kitchen floor banging on pots and pans with a wooden spoon at Ness's feet while she was pregnant with Jules. As the door closed behind him, I pinched the bridge of my nose and closed my eyes.

"Jake? Everything okay?"

Seth's voice was soothing as always, and his presence was welcome.

I took a ragged breath. "How do I protect him? Them?"

The hand that landed on my shoulder was heavy. "We can't anymore. We've done our jobs by raising them to be smart. Now, we have to trust them. I'll put him back on patrols, pair him up with Bray."

"How do you do it?" I choked. "How do you let him go out there knowing he's married and wanting to start a family with Jules?"

"It's not easy. I want for him and Piper what you want for Will and the others. But I know that he'll go behind our backs to help if I try to put him on the sidelines. And the same for Will. He's noticed what you were trying to do. It was never going to work anyway; he's got too much of you in him. He's stubborn as an ass." Stuffing his hands in the pockets of the cutoff shorts he'd put on in the woods, he turned to look at the trees. "I remember, you know. I remember being dead and the out of body experience. Bray was so small in Shelby's arms as she cried over my body. All I wanted was to get back to them, to hold them. Every time I look at him, I see that image. Him watching his mother break down while he had no idea what was happening. And I remember thinking that it wasn't fair. It wasn't fair that I wouldn't get to watch him grow up, to become a man and a fighter in the pack. Even then, I knew his fate was to be important to the pack. And that's the thought I freeze whenever I want to protect him. My son is a man now. He has a wife and is strong. His life is not mine, Jacob. I cannot make his decisions for him. Or for Piper for that matter." He turned to me. "You cannot lock Will away or out. You can't do that to any of them. They are the next generation; they are the leaders of the new world order that's being formed as we speak. Once that world is born, they'll have to make hard decisions very fast. There will be no room to protect them. It'll be war, Jacob. All out war. They need to take these hits now as lessons. I hate it as much as you do, trust me on that."

"But it's a necessary evil."

He nodded. "Unfortunately."

 **AshPOV**

The machines were beeping out at regular intervals, which was a good thing. Dox's color had come back with the transfusions and the feedings. His chest rose and fell deeply. Carlisle and Edward had both assured us that the worst was over, but I couldn't shake the anxiety as I leaned against the basin sink.

Cole joined me, rubbing my arm. "Babe, he's going to be fine."

"I know. I heard them. But I'll feel better when he wakes up."

"His mind is active," Ryell said from her spot on the side of the bed. "Edward said so, and that's a good thing. He just needs to sleep now that his body isn't in shock."

Mom petted Rye's hair and smiled. "Ash is the worrier of the bunch."

I gave her a dry look. "I have to be what with these hard-headed morons for siblings."

"Hey, now," Jules said from the other side of the bed.

"You heard me," I told her sternly, not backing down.

She gave me a sad, affectionate look before turning back to Dox.

She knew how I felt about the plan for her to get struck by lightning. It hadn't been the only plan on the table, but it was the only one that put her in the most danger and it had been hers to begin with so of course she'd wanted to go through with it. I had been so angry with her while she was unconscious in the hospital bed with the burns still fresh on her skin. Thankfully they'd healed, but I couldn't stop seeing them every time I looked at her. I'd ranted and raved at her unresponsive form until the day she woke up and heard me.

When the door opened and Will came in, all my hard-headed moronic siblings were in the same room. But this one I glared at and moved to stand in front of Cole. Cole stopped me with an arm, shoving me back with a glare.

"I'm not feeling remotely assault-and-battery-like at the moment. You can stand down," Will said to me.

While Will was busy downstairs arguing with Dad, Cole had told me what had been happening when we'd pulled into the clearing and they had been nose-to-nose. I was not thrilled with my brother right now even though Cole told me they'd settled it. Or that Hunter had.

"I just want to see Dox," Will continued as he went for the bed.

He stopped beside Jules and looked down at Dox, his eyes roaming our brother's torso. Then he lifted the sheet to see his bare chest. Will hissed at the stitches and ragged wounds.

Jules reached up to rub his shoulder silently.

"You fought with your father," Mom said.

Will's jaw clenched.

Rye stood up. "I'll let you guys have some family time." Dox got a quick kiss on the forehead before she left.

"Maybe I should-," Cole started to push away from the sink.

I held him back.

"He's been keeping me out of stuff," Will said once she closed the door behind her.

Mom pulled away from the bed. "Of course, he has. He wants to protect at least one of his kids."

Now Will glared up at her. "You knew about this?"

Mom threw her hands up. "Of _course,_ I did," she hissed. "You have kids, Will. That changes things."

"No, it fucking doesn't, Mom. Don't you get it? If I bow out of the responsibilities I was born into, that we all were born into, the pack will never respect me."

"They respect Sam, and he chose to age with Emily."

Will pointed an accusing finger at her. "Now _that_ is a very different story, and you know it. I am not ready to give up the pack. With the way things are going and the matings in this family, we will all have a stake in both packs. Your kids have mated into the Children. If the packs merge, they will need more than just Dox and Ryell. They'll need all of us to support the number of them. Not to mention if the world order changes, it's going to be all hands on deck. I refuse to leave my siblings with that kind of burden. You and Dad had to have known that. Yes, I have a mate and a child and one on the way, but I am not going to hide away like a sissy. Hunter didn't mate a coward. And my sitting out would be an insult to wolves like Paul and Henry. They had families and they still fought. I won't dishonor them just because you can't stand to see your baby boy on the front lines."

Mom just stared at him, the soft lights glinting off the tears pooling in her eyes. It was no secret to any of us that Will held a special place in Mom's heart because he was her firstborn son. Neither Dox nor I held it against him or Mom because neither of them could help it. But those brown eyes moved to me and Jules. "And do you two feel this way?"

My two siblings and I shared a look.

"He's right, Mom," Jules said. "We have our own lives to live and memories to honor. I won't sit out, either."

When Mom looked at me, I nodded. "Same here. And you know Dox would agree. We're old enough now that our job is to protect you and Dad. You've got to learn to let us go. It's not right what you did to Will. If any of us had known, we would have said something."

In all my eighteen years of life, I had never seen Mom's lip quiver as she looked at us. Not in total upset like she did now. My heart hurt at that look.

She walked around the bed toward the door. "Well," she said in a trembling voice, "I'm sorry that your father and I apparently care too damn much about our own children that we're just getting in the way of your lives."

The tears fell just before she opened and closed the door with a definitive click.

"Mom-," Jules started, partially getting out of the chair. But it was too late; she was gone. My sister put her head in her hands. "What did we just do?"

"Nobody said the truth was easy," Will said.

Jules lifted her head and motioned behind her at the door. "We just broke her heart. We made it sound like we didn't want them to love us."

"She knows good and well that's not how we meant it," Will answered. "She's just emotional because of Dox and everything that's been happening."

I pushed away from the sink. "I'll go talk to her."

Will turned his head a fraction. "Don't. Let her be. Dad will calm her down."

Jules gave him an incredulous expression. "What is wrong with you? Why are you being so cold?"

"Because my brother almost died, and I had no idea!" Will shouted, arm flinging out toward the bed. "Nobody thought to let _me_ know." He put his hands to his chest. "Not you, not Seth, not Bray. Nobody. All I got were the measly pack texts! I didn't even merit a fucking phone call, Jules. I should have been called about the attack in Seattle."

Jules jumped to her feet, facing off with him. "I didn't get that call, either, Will. You're acting like an entitled brat. Look, shit happens. We can't always be in the know in the same way. I agree that we all should have been called or left a message about the attack, but things happened too fast with Dox for any of them to pause and have a meaningful, deep conversation about it. As for myself, I'm sorry that I didn't call you."

When they both looked at me, I shook my head. "I won't apologize. My twin was dying, and I was freaking the fuck out. I was entitled to, thank you very much. However, you still should have been told. We all agreed that we'd do this together, but that doesn't mean that other people will take our promise to each other into consideration. We need to make it clear to everyone, and I _mean_ everyone, that we all get told big news like the attack. I figured Grampa would have called you after he'd gotten ahold of me. I had no idea he didn't. That's not my fault, so you won't blame me for that."

Jules and Will watched me with identical expressions of shock and consideration. I'd done something that surprised them, and it was probably because I wasn't being placating like I usually was.

"Guys," Cole said in a low voice. "If this conversation is going to go on, we should probably head out and let Rye back in here to help Dox heal. Mara will chew us out for bringing in bad juju."

"You're not part of the fight," Will said.

"I'm standing here, aren't I?" Cole challenged. "I don't like that your parents kept you out of the loop either. You deserve to have a choice, so since I have an opinion in this conversation, then I'm part of it. But Dox will heal faster if Ryell is with him."

"He's right," Jules said.

I gave my mate an appreciative smile.

It took me a long moment to be able to follow them toward the door. Leaving Dox was hard for me. Until I saw those eyes open and hear him give me a smartass remark, I'd stay worried.

Cole took my hand and gently pulled me toward the door as if he knew I needed the help. Squeezing his hand, I followed him into the hall where two people were waiting. One was Ryell who edged past us into the room, softly closing the door behind her. The other was our dad. And he was pissed.

"Get your asses outside. Now. Cole, you stay in here. See if the Cullens need help setting up for our guests." With that, he walked away.

None of us argued. Cole kissed my cheek before going down the hall toward Carlisle's study. Will, Jules, and I followed Dad down the stairs. The house went quiet as we walked through, and Mom was nowhere to be seen. Everybody watched us in eerie silence. Grampa's expression was the one that caught my eye. He looked guilty, sympathetic, angry, and frustrated all at the same time. He'd been listening in and had heard us talking about Will and Jules not being informed. His decision had been the clincher for Will's anger, and now Mom's feelings were hurt by her own children because we'd sided with Will.

Dad was waiting on the back porch, his back to us, arms braced on the rail.

The three of us gathered around him, ready for the scolding of our lives. If I was being honest with myself, I was a little scared of what was about to happen. Dad was fiercely protective of Mom, and to see her crying over the fact that her children were angry with her might set him over the edge, even with us.

Unnecessarily, Will cleared his throat. Dad knew we were there. He was letting us fidget.

Then, too fast for us to blink, Dad spun around and had his hand clamped around Will's jaws. He growled, "Listen to me very carefully because I will only say this once." Jules and I froze where we were as Dad pulled Will closer, his hand tightening on our brother's face. "You are not entitled to take over this pack. Neither you nor any of your siblings are _entitled_. I could leave this pack to Seth if I saw fit. Or Walker. The _only_ thing you're entitled to is information about this family. That's it. Now, your mother is weeping over the fact that she thinks you're this close to washing your hands of her, of us. You can hate and be angry with me all you want to because it was my idea to start leaving you out of things. But don't you _dare_ take this out on your mother, especially when she, in fact, fought me on the idea."

He let go so suddenly that Will stumbled back.

I held out an arm to steady him.

Dad glared at all of us. "You are my children and I will never not love all of you. But you need to remember that I am not just your pack leader. I am your father, and you will never disrespect me that way again. But more than that, you will never blame your mother for my decisions." He glared at Will once more. "And if you _ever_ suggest that you can tell me what to do again such as forcing me to retire, you and I are going to have a very different conversation. Now, I gave you my word that I will start including you. You should have left our conversation away from your mother."

Will was pale. "I didn't know-,"

"Exactly," Dad snapped. "You didn't know anything about what your mother and I discuss between ourselves. If you have a problem with pack business, you better damn well bring it to me."

Will nodded, swallowing hard. "Yes, sir."

Jules and I both nodded, mumbling our acknowledgements.

"Good. The three of you need to go talk to your mother."

Without another word, he stalked back into the house.

Will rubbed his jaw, turning away. But I saw the tears in his eyes. As did Jules. Walking around to face him, she wrapped her arms around his waist. He hugged her back, resting his cheek on her head.

"I feel like that was more for me than the two of you," Will said thickly.

I shook my head even though he couldn't see it. "No, that was for all of us. Apparently our egos have gotten a little too big for anybody's taste around here."

"It still wasn't right," Jules said angrily as she pulled away from Will. "All Dad has ever talked about is leaving us in charge, pushing us to make the big decisions. And now he just unanimously decides to start leaving Will out of stuff. It's bullshit."

Will put a hand on her arm and looked toward the door. "I wouldn't say that too loudly."

Jules shook his hand off. "At this point, I couldn't give a shit. I agree that we should go talk to Mom, but right now, I'm pissed with Dad. He shouldn't have put his hands on you like that." She reached up to touch Will's face. He winced a bit.

My own anger bubbled up. None of us had ever been spanked for our misdeeds. Mom and Dad had never raised a hand to us. They'd known their kids well enough to know how to punish us. Take away books, games, our sibling powwow privileges but never physical punishment. And what Dad had done wasn't exactly punishment. It was to scare us. He'd treated Will the same way I'd seen and heard about pack leaders of the Children treating wayward pack members.

I'd been too stunned to say or do anything in the moment, but now I was angry. Yes, Will had always been the defiant one, but we didn't need that kind of reminder of how powerful Dad was. We knew.

I met Jules's angry gaze with my own. Neither of us would forget what Dad had done today.

 **RenesmeePOV**

Another tissue fell apart in one hand while the other held a family photo.

 _This is stupid_ , I thought to myself. _My kids love me._

Honestly, I didn't know why I was so upset. I understood their view of things. And I had argued with Jacob for days over his decision. It wasn't right. Not when Dox, Jules, and Ash were still the center of everything. I argued that Will would never willingly sit out. So Jacob had made sure to be subtle enough that Will wouldn't know. But of course he was smart enough to figure it out. Jacob had been the stupid one in this situation. But I also understood where he was coming from. I wanted to protect them, too. They were my babies and always would be no matter how old they got.

When the front door opened, I expected Jacob. What I got were my kids.

"Hey, Mom," Ash said. He was followed by Will and Jules.

The tears came again as I turned my head away when they came toward me. But arms wrapped around my shoulders, a kiss landing on my cheek. The couch dipped beside me as another sat down. And someone sat at my feet, laying a cheek on my thighs.

"We will never not love you, Mom," Will said beside me. "And we will never not appreciate everything you and Dad have ever done for us. The two of you have made us strong and close. I was angry earlier, but I shouldn't have gone off on you. Dad and I had already settled things, and I had no idea that you hadn't agreed with him. You didn't deserve that, or to feel like we don't appreciate your love for us. I'm so sorry, Mom."

I took a deep breath. "Honestly, it's not like I don't understand where you're coming from. And this is an overreaction. I know you love me and your dad. And I know you don't think we're ruining your lives. If you did, you wouldn't be here right now."

It was Jules who reached up to wipe the tears away. "You and Dad are everything to us. All we want to do is make you proud."

The words choked in my throat forcing me to clear it. "You do," I said turning to look down at her. "I am so proud of all of you. Despite this mess," I said motioning to my splotchy face, "I am proud that you stood up to your dad and me."

"Yeah well," Will said, "Dad wasn't thrilled."

I finally looked over at him, only to frown. Setting the picture in my lap, I reached up to turn his face. "What happened?"

But he wouldn't look at me. Neither would Jules. And Ash just cleared his throat.

"Did your father do this?" There were bruising on his jawline on either side of his face. The hand that had done it was big, and I knew Jacob hadn't been too happy to see me crying after talking to them. But I never thought he was pissed enough to do something like this. Because it had to have been him. Nobody else would be stupid enough to lay a hand on our kids.

"It's okay, Mom. I deserved it." He gently pulled his face out of my hand.

"You most certainly did not," Jules said angrily.

"I deserved worse for how I made Mom feel," Will shot back.

"Actually," I said, "I agree with Jules on this one. And I intend to have a word with your father." I gently cupped his cheek. "Don't worry, though. I won't cause a scene even though all I want to do is march down there right now."

The fury that pulsed through me was something I did not want them to see. Jacob was in for a world of angry wife when next I saw him. We'd both agreed that we'd never use corporal punishment and that we'd never put our hands on our kids. And here we were with bruises on Will's face. Will may have felt like he deserved it, but that didn't mean it had to come to fruition.

Coming back to the room away from the argument in my head, I smiled, patting Will's hand. "How's your brother?"

"He's fine, Mom. We're just waiting for him to wake up. Ryell's with him."

"You three should go back down. Be there when he wakes."

The three of them shared a wary look.

"Are you sure?" Jules asked.

I smiled grimly. "I will handle your father. And I'm not worried about it. I'm worried about Dox. Keep me updated?" It was a subtle push to get them out the door because I knew Jacob would be home soon to check on me.

As one, they all sighed and started to get up and around. All three of them kissed my cheeks and hugged me before leaving.

Once I was sure they were gone, I went to the kitchen to grab a bottle of wine. I was so angry with Jacob that I needed to calm it down before he got here. Otherwise, I'd hit him myself. Those bruises on my son's face just kept flashing over my mind. The fury just bubbled up even more. But worst of all was that Will thought he deserved them. Nothing Will could do would merit him getting hurt like that.

Sitting down on the couch, I took the bottle of wine with me and waited.

 **AshPOV**

We were halfway to the Cullen house when I couldn't contain it anymore.

I stopped and faced Will since I was at the head of the group. "You did not deserve what Dad did, Will. And I, for one, don't want to hear you say that again. None of us deserve that, and he did it to you as a warning to us. You heard Mom in there. She supports us standing up for ourselves. Just because he's our dad, that didn't give him the right to put his hand to you like that. Jules is right. He's been preaching about us being our own people for years. Yeah, making Mom cry makes any of us feel like shit, but she knows us. She knows that we don't mean certain things."

"Dad's never done this before," Will said motioning to his face. "I call that a win, Ash. We could have had it much worse growing up."

"I'm not talking about then, Will," I spat. "I'm talking about now. He can't keep preaching independence and then treat us like kids. If we were human, maybe. But we're not. He challenged you by doing that, and you let him do it."

Will stepped closer, getting in my face. "And what was I going to do? Have a throwdown with Dad? I was in shock just like you were."

"Guys," Jules said, coming up beside us. "This isn't going to help anything. Until we can figure out what to do about Dad, we need to meet with Quinn and her people. Leave Mom to get into it with Dad for now."

Will and I held stares for another few heartbeats before I pulled away to start walking toward the house again. Jules and Will stayed back, talking in low voices. I no longer cared what they thought. And we didn't have time to deal with this internal drama shit. There were attacks on innocents in a neutral territory by a pack that we knew nothing about. As bad as all that was, it was made worse by the fact that we were about to throw one of the biggest public parties that a Child pack could throw with leaders or their highest-ranking emissaries in attendance. We didn't have time for anything else. The plan needed to be to deal with Quinn and her people, get them situated. Then the party security needed to get fixed with Jason. Since Dox was out of commission, I'd volunteer to sit with Jason myself if I had to.

In the clearing that the house sat in, Quinn, Rosie, and Wyatt were huddled together, talking in low voices.

Wyatt was the first to see us since he was facing our way. He nodded to us in a way that let Quinn know where were here.

I nodded to them. "Quinn, I wanted to introduce you to my eldest brother, William Black." I turned to Will. "Will, this is Quinn. She was Dox's initial savior. She kept him from bleeding out on the way to Edward."

Will ducked his head and stepped forward, holding out his hand.

Quinn's expression turned to surprise but she took his hand.

"Thank you," Will said. "For saving my brother."

"It was the least I could do, especially after the trouble we'd caused. We turned those humans, so in effect, his getting hurt was my fault."

My brother studied the redhead for a long moment. Then he looked to Wyatt and Rosie. "From what Ash and my family have told me, the youngest of your group was threatened if you didn't do this. A child's life is precious. I would do anything for my own daughter, so I understand. I think my siblings and I all agree that the fault lies with the aggressor. Not you. And we're thankful for your help to try to bring this bastard to heel."

Quinn nodded. "If you don't mind my asking, where are my people and I going to be staying?" She eyed the clearing doubtfully.

Will chuckled. "Not here. Walker, the leader of the local Children has offered some guest cabins for your stay. You'll be safe on the compound. We'll need you to speak with him and the other leaders in detail about what all you can remember about the pack or the leader. I know you already told my brothers, but it would be best if we all heard it from you and your people firsthand."

"I understand."

"Will there be enforcers on this compound?" Wyatt asked.

Quinn shot him an irritated look. When he didn't back down, she sighed. "Wyatt was second in command of the enforcers in his old pack. He's very serious about security."

Will was opening his mouth to answer when Jason came out of the woods, slipping a men's ribbed tank over his head.

"That's good," he said as he approached. "So am I."

I smiled. "Wyatt, this is Jason Govain. Our head enforcer."

They shook hands, but Wyatt dived right in. "I'd like to take a look at the place we'll be staying, if you don't mind."

Jason shook his head. "Not at all. And you can meet the guys I'll have looking after you."

"After us?" Rosie said. "We're not your enemies."

Jason gave her a slight nod. "That might be true, but the absolute truth that I know is we don't know you or your people. But more than that, my guys aren't babysitters. They'll help you if you have questions or need to get in touch with anyone. You're not prisoners and won't be treated as such. But right now, we have some pretty big events that are coming up, and we need everything on the same wavelengths."

Rosie crossed her arms and narrowed her gaze. "What sort of big events?"

Jason looked to me.

I shrugged. It really wasn't our news to share.

But we didn't have to worry. Ryell came out of the house.

Her long strawberry-blonde curls were frazzled and her eyes were lined in red and circled in black. She was exhausted, but the relieved smile still shined through. I narrowed my gaze at her.

"He's talking about my and Dox's coming out party as mates and heirs to my father's leadership," she explained. When she stopped with our group, she looked at me.

That look said it all. My heart started pounding and tears popped up.

She smiled again as if she could taste my emotion. "Dox is awake, and he's asking for you, Ash."

It was as if those were the words I'd been waiting for. I was running for the house before she was even done talking, jumping up the steps, and flinging myself through the front door. Grampa was just walking out of the room. When he saw me, he changed his mind about closing the door. Good thing, too, because I probably would have busted the damn thing down.

But I stopped just inside the doorway. My twin was sitting on the edge of the bed in a pair of cotton pajama bottoms and looking down at his torso, prodding spots here and there. He hissed and cussed before bracing both arms on the edge of mattress and hung his head.

"Thank God," I breathed.

Dox's head raised as I hurried across the room. Hitting him hard, I wrapped my arms around his shoulders. He let out an _oof_ but hugged me back.

Neither of us said anything for a good three minutes.

When I pulled back, his hand went straight to his sternum. "Ugh, what happened, Ash?"

For a moment, I just stared at him. Then, snorting, I sat down in the recliner, trying to make it look natural instead of my knees giving out. "How much time ya got?"

Dox smirked as I started talking.

 **RenesmeePOV**

"I'm fine, Mom. Promise," Dox was saying as the front door opened.

I sniffled at just hearing his deep voice. "You'll call if you need anything?"

"Rye is fighting with Carlisle and Edward to let me go home. I think I'm taken care of." His tone went low. "Dad's on his way home."

One glance over my shoulder told me that was true. "He already is."

"Then give him some hell, will ya?" he growled.

"You got it, baby."

Dox was not happy about what had happened with Will while he was out.

"Love you, Mom."

"Love you, too, sweetie. Get some rest."

When we hung up, I set the phone on the table carefully, picked up my glass, and stared at the fireplace. I gritted my teeth to keep from shaking.

"Everything okay?" Jacob asked.

I seethed at just the sound of his voice. Eyes closing, all I saw were those bruises. "You tell me."

"Ness-," he started in a tone that I'd heard many times before. It was a tone that said he'd done what he'd done and I should just accept it for whatever reason he was about to spew at me.

With a sharp clack, I set the glass back down on the table. "You put your hands on our son," I growled as I stood up to face him.

He was still standing at the door, but now he put his hands up. "I know, but they needed-,"

"Don't you fucking dare tell me that they needed to be reminded of who you are. They know damn well who you are to them. And now they're scared of you. We agreed, Jacob! We agreed that neither of us would _ever_ lay a hand on our kids. So, imagine my surprise and my _fury_ to find bruises on my son's face from his father's hand. Our kids are reasonable. Always have been. But no, you had to lose your shit just because I was crying. _I'm_ the one that overreacted. Nothing they did warranted your behavior, Jacob. Nothing!"

But my husband wasn't backing down as he glared right back at me. "Will talked about trying to force me to retire. I am the leader here, not him."

Utterly exasperated, I threw my hands up in the air. "Oh, for fuck's sake, Jacob! Of course, you should be thinking about retiring! They are old enough and mature enough to take over, but you don't trust them to do it. Will would never try to force you into anything. He loves and respects you too much, and there you go spitting on all of that the moment you put your hand on him. That is the most childish excuse I've ever heard in my life. Now, get out of my house. I can't stand to look at you right now."

At that, his expression went slack as if the turn of conversation was too fast and he wasn't sure what he'd just heard. "Ness-," he said, reaching for me.

Holding my hand up, I stepped back. "No. Get out. But consider this, either apologize to him with your complete sincerity, or I will move out of this house. How dare you think to justify what you did? Our kids have every right to be angry with us for keeping Will out of this. This is his _life_ we were messing with! And I swear to God, Jacob, if this _ever_ happens again, I will leave you."

We held glares for a few heartbeats, but I won the staring contest. His eyes lost the anger as they sank into uncertainty. He had no idea if I was serious about my threat. I couldn't abide by what he had done. There had been a different way to handle the situation and Jacob had chosen to manhandle our son instead of talking it out.

After a few moments of studying me, he averted his gaze and nodded. Turning back toward the door, Jacob grabbed his jacket. He paused with his hand on the doorknob like he wanted to say something. But he didn't. He flung the door open and was gone a second later.

I didn't know how long I stood there, staring at that closed door. Tears slid down my face, but I stayed utterly calm, clenching my hands into fists to keep from chasing after him. I hated the ultimatum but remembering the bruises on Will's face kept me in the house. The sound of blood dripping was loud as my palms stung from the bite of my nails.

However long later, a howl went up into the early evening. It was a howl I knew well. One that I had heard only once and hoped to never hear again.

I dropped to my knees and wept as the sad sound wrapped around me.

 **WillPOV**

I looked up from my dinner plate at the howl. The desolate sound wasn't echoed by any other voices, and it wasn't meant to be. Dad was mourning.

I swallowed hard. "I guess they had their fight."

Hunter avoided my eyes while she helped Cordy cut her piece of chicken.

"You're angry with me," I observed. "I guess it just runs in the family." My tone was bitter.

Hunter threw a glare at me. "Of course I am. You scared Cordy today, and you could have hurt Cole because you were angry at your father. Then you went off on your mother. I agree with Jacob that you should have kept the argument to yourselves."

"And do you agree with this?" I demanded, gesturing to my still-bruised face.

Shaking her head, she looked away.

"You do." I couldn't hide the astonishment.

The deep breath through her nose lifted her shoulders. "Do I like seeing you bruised? No. But it's not like I haven't seen it before, or even had something similar done to me."

"Caden would never touch you like this. He wouldn't dare." The words were a threat laced with a growl.

Now she turned toward me, leaving our daughter to hum and dance in her chair. "No, my father would never touch me that way. You're right about that. No, I don't agree with what Jacob did, but mostly because he's never been that kind of father. If it was normal for you, sure, it wouldn't be a problem. It's just…you've lost touch with your father, your parents. And it's not just their fault. You're angry with them, but don't see the blame in yourself. Be honest with yourself, Will. You can't tell me that you haven't been happy being here as a normal man, normal father with no otherworldly responsibilities." I couldn't argue, and when I didn't, her expression softened. She reached out to take my hand, rubbing her thumb over my wedding band. "You love working at the shop and coming home to me and Cordy. You love working on the nursery after dinner and trying to decide color schemes. The only reason you exploded this time was that your brother was hurt, and your family treated you like just another member of the pack, not a member of the family or like you were even Dox's brother. And you realized that if they kept you from this, then they've definitely been keeping you out of other things, such as pack business."

I gripped her hand. "I can't be angry with him. Ash is, and so is Jules. But I just can't. Am I just a tad bit more scared of him? Sure. But I shouldn't have gone off on Mom. I should have known that she wouldn't have agreed with Dad."

"No," Hunter said in a hard voice. "That's not what we're going to do: play the blame game. Things happened. You apologized to your mother. But that never gave your father the right to touch you that way. You have a right to be angry with him. Could you honestly tell me that you would treat our children that way if they made me cry?"

My eyes closed at the just the thought. I shook my head. "No. I could never hurt them. Not even-," another headshake. "No."

"That's because your father didn't raise you to be that kind of man. More than likely Nessie gave Jacob an ultimatum, and we should be expecting Jacob to be knocking on our door. Maybe not tonight, but soon."

I frowned. "How can you know that?"

Smiling a little, she looked down at her stomach, rubbing her free hand over her shirt. The baby was starting to speed up in growth, just as Cordy had, so Hunter had a small bump. Then she looked to Cordy. "Because it's what I would do. Get your act together or get out of my house. Or something to that effect."

"Mom would never leave Dad."

My wife gave me raised eyebrows. "If he harms her children, she would. You will always be her baby boy, Will. And you know that you feel the same about Cordy. No matter how old she gets, she will always be your baby girl, and you would do anything to keep her safe. As well as with this little one," she said, patting her belly.

I just couldn't argue with that. Reaching over, I rested my hand over my unborn child.

Hunter jumped when the baby kicked. "Strong already," she whisper-laughed.

We grinned at each other as the baby danced inside her.

"Papa?" Cordy asked still dancing her seat.

"What is it, baby?"

"Can I…can I…have more milk? Pweeeeeaase?"

Chuckling, I grabbed her sippy-cup and stood up. "Of course, baby."

As soon as my back was to them, though, my smile dimmed. Mom and Dad were arguing and could possibly separate, and it would be my fault. That just did not sit well with me at all.

 **A Week Later…**

 **DoxPOV**

Getting up onto the bed had hurt like a son of a bitch. I wrapped my arm around my torso and hissed.

Rye glared at me. "You should have used the stepstool, stubborn ass."

I pushed her hand away from where she was trying to help me adjust. "I'm fine, you nagging bitch." I said the last playfully so that I wouldn't get in trouble.

She gave me a flat look. "Fine. Suffer for all I care." But her eyes were worried. We'd been fighting all week that I should have been almost healed by now. I couldn't say I disagreed but then, I _was_ savagely attacked by another werewolf. Her argument was that I was drinking a ton of blood and should have been well enough to phase to heal the rest of the way by now. Again, I didn't disagree so here we were at the Cullen house getting me checked out.

Carlisle walked in before I could answer with a snarky comeback. Just as well. I didn't have one.

"Hello, Dox. Ryell. What can I do for you?"

"Dox isn't healing," Rye said before I could even open my mouth.

I shot her a dark look. "I am. Just slower than she would like."

She gave me her own look. "I clean it every day and there's still crap coming out of it."

Carlisle's brows went up as he watched us. "Perhaps I should take a look. Dox, would you slip out of your shirt, please?"

I did as he asked, but slowly. Lifting my arms tended to pull on the stitches.

Once the shirt was beside me on the bed, I leaned back on my arms so that he could look without bending over too far. The stitches started high on my ribs. My stomach was just a mass of stitches and bunched up skin.

Carlisle looked up at me from under his brows. It was not a good look. Then he frowned and gently pressed on a spot. Greenish puss came out.

"Ryell is right, Dox. This isn't healing. In fact, it's infected. I honestly didn't know that any type of werewolf could get an infection."

"What can we do?" Rye asked.

"You said you've been cleaning it?"

She nodded.

"With what?"

"Peroxide and Neosporin."

He nodded thoughtfully. "Use rubbing alcohol. And I'll give you an antibiotic spray. It'll get into the skin better. I'd give you pills but-,"

"Actually," Rye said giving me a serious look. "The painkillers and sleeping pills have been working. I can smell when they leave his system. Usually, those kinds of things only stay in the system for a couple hours if that, but they've been lasting up to six."

My grandfather gave me a worried look but said, "I think we should stick to the spray. It'll absorb better. If that doesn't help, we'll move to pills. I don't want to introduce too much to his system since he's not used to that much medication. Also, tell me about your blood intake?"

Rye and I shared a look.

"Me," she said. "Plus, whatever is left over in the fridge." Ryell's blood was a craving I'd come into since the injury. It was warm and sweet. Not like the cold stuff. But she couldn't donate every day.

The good thing about Carlisle was that he didn't judge. He took in the information, processed it, and moved on. "Fresh," he told us with raised brows. "I want nothing but fresh blood in your diet from now until you heal. But _you_ aren't allowed to hunt. No strenuous activity. No phasing. No sex."

Surprisingly, it wasn't the no sex rule that made me grumpy. I growled. "I can do my own hunting."

"No," Carlisle ordered in a hard tone that I'd never heard before. "No, Maddox. If the skin was mended, I'd let you. But it's not, and I won't." Sighing, he put a hand on my shoulder. His skin was cold. And I noticed that his eyes were darkening. He needed to feed. "Son, having to ask for help does not make a leader weak. It makes him strong. The more trust he puts in his people, the stronger they become as well. Let the pack help you."

Rye put her hand on my other arm, rubbing a little. "He's right, Dox. I'll ask one of your pack to do it since they don't have the urge to feed when they phase."

I glowered. "Ask Jules or Ash."

Rye shook her head. "No. Another member, one of lower rank. It's better for show and better politically. I'll ask Gage or Tate. They're both on the compound with Nechole."

"Tate," I said through gritted teeth. "He's full-blooded Quileute."

"I'll ask."

"No. I will."

"Dox-,"

"I'll. Ask," I growled.

We glared at each other before she pursed her lips and nodded. My pride was on the table for having to do this. The wound was bad, and I had known it. I just didn't want to believe that I couldn't heal this on my own. What was the point in being a werewolf if I couldn't even fight off an infection? It would look even more weak if Rye asked for me.

Still giving me a hard look, she backed down and nodded.

Carlisle came back to us holding a bottle with a spray nozzle. When I went to take it, he pulled it out of my reach to give to Rye. "Three to four times a day, and try to keep your donating to a minimum." Then he looked at me. "Keep up with the pain meds as needed." I nodded, but he bent so that he could meet my eyes. "I'm serious. Don't be macho. Take the pills until I clear you to phase."

I met his gaze and nodded. "I will. I promise."

"I will check in with Ryell, Dox. Don't think I won't to ensure your health."

Bracing my arms on the bed, I said, "I get it. I will do as I'm told. Feeling helpless as I do, I can't stand it. So, I'll do what I'm told."

"Good. I'd hate to have to get Jacob involved," he said with a little chuckle.

My expression went cold. Rye noticed first because she was quick to be at my side, touching me.

"You mean," I said in a low voice, "to get my father to manhandle me?"

Startled, Carlisle looked up at me with wide eyes. "I didn't mean-,"

"Save it," I growled as I grabbed my shirt and hopped down from the bed.

It had been days since Mom and Dad had split. Nobody knew where Dad was, and Mom rarely came out of the house. Probably in fear of running into him. Dad hadn't even been to the shop, leaving Bray and Will in charge. The moment I'd seen my brother's face, I'd felt a rush of rage so strong I'd nearly hopped out of the bed and beat the shit out of Dad. I kept flashing back to the day I'd found Cole beaten to shit by his own dad. Ash even told me that Will said he'd deserved it, which was utter bullshit. Will had made one mistake in snapping at Mom. That hadn't warranted that kind of reaction, especially when all four of us had done worse over the years.

Carlisle reached for me as I began to walk to the door. "Dox, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said anything."

I held up a hand before slipping into my shirt. " _I_ shouldn't have said anything." Then I gave him a concrete gaze. "But I will do as I'm told because I'm not a fucking child. You're the doctor, you know what's best."

He ducked his head. "Of course. Again, I'm sorry. Will refused to be looked at."

"Yeah because he's an idiot. But he's fine now." Turning, I held my hand out to Ryell. "Come on, let's go home."

She came to me, taking my hand in a firm grip. She gave Carlisle an apologetic look. "We'll keep in touch."

I led her out without a second look.

The ride back to the compound was quiet. It was a comfortable silence as Rye drove us back.

I leaned my head back against the headrest and fought my emotion.

"Dox?" she asked quietly. "Honey, what is it?"

I pinched the bridge of my nose as my lip trembled. It took a minute to get myself under control before I could talk without being a blubbery mess. "How is my family falling apart? Never in a million years would I have envisioned Dad hurting one of us or Mom and Dad splitting. Or even Dad just disappearing."

Rye reached over to take my hand. "Family is never perfect, baby. But your family will come back to each other; you always have. Your dad needs to understand why everyone is so upset. It's not that he got mad at Will, but in the way it happened. Wherever he is, I'd like to think that he'll come to that conclusion. He won't like that all of his kids are mad at him, or that Nessie wants to separate if he can't understand this. He loves his family, and he needs time away to be able to separate the alpha from the father."

Her hand reached up to wipe the tear from my cheek.

 **TatePOV**

"What about _her_? She's pretty submissive."

I rolled my eyes. "Nechole, stop."

She shrugged, her arm tugged mine up where it was threaded through the elbow as we walked on the compound. "I'm just trying to help. You know, an objective eye and all."

Snorting, I tucked my hands into my pockets forcing her to adjust. "What makes you think I don't have things the way I want them? I'm not looking to settle down. I'm a teenager."

She went quiet beside me as we walked. "You know, it's odd that you said you like to watch me, watch Gage. After all, you and I are cousins to an extent. Our dads are half-brothers."

Glancing at her sidelong, I answered, "You and I weren't exactly raised as family, Nechole. My dad wanted to separate from the pack, including Embry. To make things easier when…," I had to clear my throat. "When the time comes."

Stopping us with a tug on my arm, she turned me to face her. "His loss won't make things easier. Not for the adults because they knew him, ran with him. And not for us kids because the loss will affect you, and we all love you." She took my hand. "I'm not judging you. You like what you like, and that's fine. I'm just saying that you might not want to say things like that around Gage. It unnerves him a little."

Instantly, the attitude burned through me, making me angry. She just said that she wasn't judging, but it was clear there was something there. On the other hand, though, I knew she wasn't. I knew she was warning me about the imprint and how dangerous Gage could get over her.

So, clenching my jaw, I looked away.

Her hand on my cheek turned me back. "No. Judgement. I promise you that. Gage loves you like a brother and wants nothing but the best for you. I'm sorry if I'm annoying or being pushy. I just want the same that Gage does. I've come to the conclusion that you and Gage are a package deal, so that means I have to take care of you, too, until you find your significant other."

I managed to smile down at her. "You don't have to take care of me, Nechole."

"Someone does. Your parents never see you anymore, and I have a feeling that all of you want it that way. And your sister-," her words trailed off. "You and Gage are a package deal. Then here I come barging into the picture. I get that you might feel like a third wheel now, but I'm trying hard not to cause that. I'm trying to be your friend, to help take care of you like Gage would, like family. I don't want you to think that I'm going to force Gage to choose between me and your friendship. I'm as much here for you as he is. Don't ever think you can't talk to me."

Looking down at her, I saw the earnest expression, the hope that I would understand what she was saying. I leaned down to kiss her cheek. "You're a good female. Gage is lucky to have you at his side."

She smiled but a voice interrupted anything she was going to say. "Tate! Tate!"

With a frown, I looked up to find Wren jogging across the compound toward us. Even though I was living on the compound now with Gage, I still wasn't that close with anyone here. That included the alpha family. I wasn't like Gage, part Child. So, it was odd to see Wren coming for me.

He was only five years younger than me, but it was really hard not to see him as the gangly kid with wild hair instead of this thirteen-year-old who was quickly growing into his wolf heritage.

Nechole and I watched as he skidded to a stop in front of us, his breathing a little heavy.

"Hey, Wren," Nechole said, hiding her shock before I could. "What's up?"

As they grinned at each other, I had the sudden realization that they were cousins, and through marriage, I was also related to Wren. A pounding started just behind my left eye as I considered our family trees. We needed some new blood around here.

"Hey, guys," Wren said. He looked at me. "Dox has requested your presence, Tate."

Nechole frowned. "Dox didn't say it like that."

Wren grinned. "Nope. He just said he needed to talk to him."

"Is everything okay? Is he?" I asked.

Sighing, Wren's expression turned annoyed. "Yeah, he'll be okay, just being a stubborn jackass. As usual." At our expressions he explained but kept his voice low, "Rye took him to see Carlisle because he wasn't healing right. They've been arguing for days."

Nechole reached out. "What wrong?" Then she looked around and whispered, "Why isn't he healing?"

Wren shook his head. "Infection," he barely mumbled.

I kept my eye on the passing residents who were casting glances at us. By Wren keeping his voice down, Nechole and I both knew he didn't want the compound to know that Dox, their leader, wasn't healing. Especially not with the party and emissaries coming so soon. We needed a show of strength, not a panicking pack structure.

Before Nechole could interrogate him further, I stepped in. "Where is he?"

"His place."

"Then let's go."

"Actually, I was on my way out when he asked me to find you. I think he wants to see you alone."

Nechole gave us both a grumpy look.

I smirked and started walking in the direction that Wren had come. "Then I guess I'll see you two losers later."

Five minutes later, Ryell was letting me into the cabin she shared with Dox. They'd been upgraded after the marking. The place was big enough to warrant a second floor. Stairs that I had to climb to get to Dox's office. The door was open, so I knocked on the doorjamb. Dox's office was all modern lines mixed with classic library office. Simple but elegant bookshelves housing journals, dictionaries, and stories on mythology and legends plus a wireless printer with all the extra paper and ink. The desk was a solid piece of wood, but still simply elegant. No elaborate carvings or whorls. His chair was a modern office number, leather but with tons of support.

The man himself was leaning back in that chair. "Hey, Tate. Glad Wren caught you quickly."

"Yeah," I said leaning against the doorway. "He said you requested my presence."

Dox snorted. "Kid has a way with words, but he wasn't wrong."

"So, what's up?"

Leaning forward on his forearms, he sighed. "I need to ask a favor of you."

Now that I looked at him, I could see what Wren had meant. Dox looked wrung out, like he could sleep for a month straight and still be tired. He was thinner, skin sallow. Dark eyes were sunken in, pinched with pain.

Walking in, I sat down in the comfy chair across from the desk. "What do you need, man? Anything."

He licked his lips. "I don't know what Wren told you, but I'm not healing right. The infection is still inside me, forcing me to heal human slow. Now, I know that you know that's not a good thing what with the big events happening. I need my strength, and Carlisle has ordered me onto fresh blood only. That's not a problem, except that I can't hunt. He hasn't cleared me to phase or hunt in human form. I was hoping that you would help me out."

I frowned. "Why me? I'm sure your siblings would or anybody else."

He nodded. "I'm sure they would. But I know that Nechole and Gage finally got together." He gave me a knowing look. "I'm sure that's been a little hard on you with Gage dividing his time between the two of you. And I know you like keeping busy. Anybody with Child blood would feel the need to feed on whatever they hunt down after they shift. Besides my brother, you're the only one on this compound with only Quileute blood. I need your help, and I trust you to do this for me." Looking down, he cleared his throat. "Actually, it's more than that. I need to learn to ask for help from others besides my immediate family. We're pack, Tate. And maybe someday soon, our packs will merge. If that happens, I don't want any of our people to feel like they're just another number. And by 'our people' I mean the Quileute line of wolves. That's the bloodline I was born into. I won't forget my heritage, and you are a valuable member of my extended family. My siblings and I are not above getting our hands dirty with our pack. Somewhere along the way, we forgot that. I don't want the packs to think that I play favorites, because I don't. I would like you to do this for me, but if you don't want to, I understand."

There was a moment when he was talking that I knew I could take his words offensively, but I knew what he was trying to say. He was wanting to use all his resources evenly. He was trying to show that we were important to him, not just as minions for the higher-ups, but as people. He wanted us to feel useful, like he really did need us. Which he did, to be honest. The other Black kids were likely busy with their own lives, not that they wouldn't drop anything to help him. But that would defeat the purpose of asking outside the immediate family. If something happened to separate the Black kids, Dox needed to know he could depend on others to help him when needed. And at the moment, I was the best choice because I was the only other full-blooded Quileute on the compound besides Ash. It was likely that Ash had his own hunting to do as well as prepare for other things, like Cole's transition into the Children and the possibility of adopting Victoria's baby. The rumor mill was on fire with that one, but everyone was keeping it hushed up. Ash wouldn't like that kind of rumor until they were sure of the arrangement.

Sitting there, I considered the offer. I really hadn't ever used my wolf to hunt deer, to kill an animal like that. I ran patrols to hunt for other werewolves or strange vamps.

After a moment, I nodded. "Yeah, I could use the running time. Seth has enough numbers that I only need to run patrols once a week unless I just decide to run on my own. I'd love to help out, and glad you asked. When do you need me to start?"

Dox seemed to relax. "Thank you for understanding what I was trying to say. I know I didn't quite phrase it right." He lowered his eyes. "Honestly, if Rye were in the room, she'd ask if you'd go right now. It's been a few days since I've had fresh."

I ducked my head and stood up. "Then I'll go right now."

Dox looked up at me considering. "That's another reason I asked you, Tate. You're unfailingly loyal, non-judgmental, and can be relied upon. No matter if these two packs merge, I need that." Then he held his arm out.

Leaning over the desk, I gripped his forearm as he gripped mine. "Whether or not we're blood, we are family. My people need me, I come. Dad taught me a lot of things, but that was most important." We let go of each other so I could go for the door. "What kind of fresh blood do you prefer?"

Sitting back in the chair, he took in a deep breath. "Honestly, I could drain a whole herd of deer."

I grinned. "Buck it is. If that's not enough, I'll go out again."

"You're the best, man. Thank you."

I stopped in the doorway. "All you had to do was ask."

 **Dox POV**

Five minutes after Tate left, I was still sitting at the desk, turning the letter opener over and over.

"Everything go okay?" Rye's soft voice asked from the doorway.

I nodded without looking up at her. "He agreed. I know it bothered him, probably because he's never really hunted before, but he seemed happy to take the job."

"It's not the end of the world to ask for help," she said quietly.

Raising my gaze, I found her leaning against the jamb, her arms crossed over her stomach. She was wearing a rust red sweater that mingled with her strawberry blonde hair that was only partially pulled back. The jeans that encased her long legs and lean hips were dark and tight.

"That's not what bothers me, actually."

"Then what is it?"

"He asked, 'why me'." I leaned forward slowly, the wounds tightening with the movement, to rest my elbows on the desk. "When did we forget that he's the son of the man that first led the pack before my dad? He should be right here with us like Bray and Piper are. He said that Sam taught him that if his people need him, he should be there. It's like we've forgotten Dad's story."

Rye came into the room to sit in one of the chairs in front of me. "What does that mean, baby? Where are you going with this?"

I set the letter opener down and met her gaze. "I don't think we should merge the packs. I know there are ties because of the matings, especially ours. However, because of my connection to you, I think you and I need to focus on the Children. My siblings can figure out how to run the Quileute pack."

My mate leaned forward on her crossed legs, frowning. "What brought this on?"

"If we merge, our… _my_ …people will lose their heritage. The Children of the Moon vastly outnumber the Quileute pack. I don't want my people to lose who they are, their culture. And if our numbers increase here in this pack, then my people can hold down the fort on this side while we move."

Rye was pinching the bridge of her nose and frowning hard with her eyes closed. "Wait. So, let me be very clear here. The Quileute pack will stay separate from the Children except for those who have mated into it or choose to stay with us. The Quileute pack will stay here, on the rez and in Forks, to secure our holding so that if our territory expands, you and I can be at the forefront. Meanwhile, your siblings will figure out their leadership of the Quileute pack and decide whether or not to join us in the expansion."

I nodded.

"Do you think they'll go for that?"

I took a good five minutes to think that one through. Though all of three of them had some sort of connection to the Children, it wasn't strong enough to warrant them moving into this pack with me. I was Quileute and vampire, but because my tie was to Ryell, I now reacted more like her people. Bray was half Child but he identified more with Seth's Quileute blood. Hunter taught in Walker's pack, but she wasn't as invested as she was in Will's life. And Ash? Well, I had no idea which way he would swing if Cole did get infected and added to Walker's pack. Out of the three of my siblings, Ash would be the one content to step back and be neutral between both packs.

After that five minutes, I nodded. "Yes, I think they'd go for it. Will and Jules are happy on the rez. Bray and Hunter would follow them. Ash would more than likely be the neutral of the three. Forks and the rez are their home, but you're mine. This pack is mine. Don't get me wrong, I love my people and where I came from. But there are others who will take care of them. Just because my dad is the Alpha, that doesn't mean everything is our responsibility."

"Not right now," she interrupted.

I frowned. "What?"

"Dox, what you're saying, these plans, they're for now, not the future. My dad said-,"

"I know what Walker said, Rye. But that's all theory. We have no idea what's about to happen or what's about to change."

"But that doesn't mean we don't plan for the possibility. That video is going to get tested and verified. Once it does, humans will start to investigate others. Look, I agree with you that the packs staying separate might actually be better for us. But the responsibility _is_ ours. Our people already look to us to lead them. The rez looks to _your_ family to protect them. Nothing is going to go back to the way it was. It can't." The chair creaked as she stood up and walked around to me. She kissed the top of my head and rubbed my shoulders. "We'll talk about this later. Jason is coming over to talk about last minute plans, and Tate should be back soon. Hopefully."

Wrapping my arm around her waist, I hugged her against me. "When Jason gets here, will you stay? I want you to hear the plans, see if you have any input."

She ran her fingers through my hair. It really was time for a cut. "I told you I trust you and Jason."

I nodded against her breasts. "I know. But I want you here just in case. The female perspective is always different. We might be able to use a feminine touch."

"Okay," she agreed, her hands smoothing over my neck and shoulder, down my arm. "I'll sit in. But until they get here, I'll go make us some food."

"Thank you."

I felt her lips in my hair again, a smile curving her lips. "You're welcome. It's just a sandwich, though."

My arm tightened around her. "I meant for everything. Thank you for being my mate, my partner."

"I'm pretty sure your imprint picked me."

I looked up at her, meeting that sherry-hazel gaze. "But you could have said no, could have rejected it."

Rye leaned back so she could cup my face and give me a loving look. "You're my dark knight, Maddox Black. Even if I did reject you at first, I would have ended up coming back to you. Even before you phased and imprinted, I was drawn to you the way flowers are drawn to the sun. You make me feel alive and warm. How could anyone stay away from that?"

She didn't give me time to answer as she leaned down to press her lips to mine softly.

Then she smiled. "I'll be right back. I love you."

I gave her a smile. "Love you, too."

When she disappeared into the hallway, the smile died down. I was ready for this party to be over and the guests to be gone so that I could talk to my siblings. We really needed to figure out what to do. Not to mention deal with our own personal family shit.

A headache was beginning to pound behind my right eye.

Getting into the drawer of my desk, I popped a painkiller just as Jason walked in with a manila file folder. Rye was right behind him holding a plate with two sandwiches and two bottles of water.

"Shall we?" Jason asked as he sat down and dropped the folder on my desk.

* * *

 **Please let me know what you think! I was shocked about Jacob, too. Now remember, if you review as a guest, I can't reply if you want a reply. Use the email address. I'll get to it when I can. I love all y'all! xoxoxoxo**


	24. Chapter 24

***peeks around corner* Hi, guys! I know! I've been gone for so long. I'm so sorry. This chapter was going to be much longer since I've been gone so long, but I kept seeing the reviews of people asking if I was still sick or having someone else pick up the story. No, no. It's still mine. I've just been stupid busy, but also trying to figure out where this is going to go and when. There were a lot of heavy reviews for the last chapter with what happened between Jacob and Will. We will see the resolution of that here, but we'll also see why the reactions were so strong from the kids. Hopefully it will help explain things.**

 **Again, I'm so sorry for being gone so long. I'll try really hard not to do this again.**

 **Please Enjoy!**

* * *

 **A** **Couple Days Later…**

 **Jacob POV**

This was the most uncomfortable situation I'd ever been in. I was sitting in a too fluffy chair in a room with three women, one of whom was a stranger.

She was pretty for a therapist. Younger than me or my sisters, both of whom were sitting on the short couch to my right. The woman was probably in her early thirties with chocolate brown hair with reddish highlights. Her skin was lightly tanned made darker by the dark green of her silk shirt.

Right now, she was writing something in the notebook sitting in her lap. Every now and then she would frown, but it would smooth over quickly.

Rachel and Rebecca had just finished talking about how they were doing and what they'd been up to recently.

When Rachel had shown up with Becca, my sister had frozen at the sight of me sitting in the waiting room. Rachel had asked that I come this time, but apparently hadn't told Becca I'd be in attendance. Becca's reaction to me hadn't been like Rachel's. She'd just stared for a long moment before sitting next to me, twining her fingers through mine in silence.

The doc turned toward me. "Now, Jacob, I'd like to ask how you've been holding up these past few years since the deaths of your brother-in-law and your nephew." She gave me very direct eye contact, raising her brows a little in expectation of the answer.

I heard my sisters take deep breaths at the mentions of Henry and Paul.

I cleared my throat, adjusting in my chair. "I guess I've just been keeping myself as busy as possible. I mean, I wouldn't say that I didn't mourn them, that I'm trying to distract myself. There are responsibilities I have that don't really make room to take time off for heartbreak. I know that Paul and Henry would have wanted me to keep going, to take care of my family."

She wrote as I talked, but while still scribbling, she asked, "By family you mean your wife and your children?"

"Well, yes."

Her eyebrows went up as her chin dipped down in a nod. "And what about the pack?"

Here, I hesitated.

She looked up, her dark brown eyes seeming to understand. The attitude left her face to be replaced with softness. "I was born into the Quileute culture. I am a resident of the reservation. I know about the packs and the Cullens. Nothing will leave this room, you have my word."

The scent of her words was honest, which made me answer. "The pack still answers to me, but I've been trying to get them to start focusing on my children. They're readying to take over the obligations of leadership."

"And they've been readying for a while now, yes?"

I nodded. "Since they first phased. Even before that if I'm being honest. I've tried to teach them the values of their people and common decency in general. We may be werewolves, but we were born human."

She held her hand up, the pen held between her thumb and middle finger. "Let's back up a bit. After your children phased, you implied that they took on more of the responsibility. So, wouldn't you say that you had more free time on your hands?"

Something about her words sent up a caution flag in my mind. I narrowed my eyes but said, "Yeah, I guess so. What are you getting at?"

She motioned to my sisters. "Both Rachel and Rebecca have been coming to me almost every day, and a common theme I find is that of abandonment." Her gaze was very hard and direct, a little bit of anger there.

I glanced at them, but they wouldn't look at me.

The doc leaned forward toward me. "I didn't tell you that so you could be angry with them. You are family, and this is a safe space. They agreed to me disclosing that information, and I'd like you to address that comment as logically and civilly as possible."

That anger still bubbled up under my skin. They were hypocrites to even talk of abandonment.

"What were you just thinking?" the doc asked. "Right then?"

I shook my head.

But the doc must have known some of what I was thinking. "I'm not trying to paint your sisters as the victims. We have discussed their faults in the miscommunication between the three of you. But I can't help you if you don't tell me what you blame them for."

Clenching my jaw, I shoved down the anger so that I could talk without growling. "They abandoned me first. As soon as they could, one ran off to Hawaii and the other to college. They abandoned me, a teenager, to take care of our crippled father just because they wouldn't or couldn't handle the loss of our mother long after she died. I was left alone to deal with the mess. And I did not abandon them this time. They chose to cut me out of their lives, and I accepted that. I stayed away because they thought I was a monster for getting their loved ones killed, _which_ I didn't do. Henry and Paul chose to fight of their own accord. I respected my sisters' wishes to stay away, and it killed me. I thought about them all the time. It fucking hurt, so after a while, I stopped and focused on what I could actually do. My children…," my voice cracked, because talking about them right now hurt, too. So, I tried again, avoiding talk of my family. "As soon as Ava came to me about how bad off Rachel was, I dropped everything to force my way back into her life. I forced her to come back here by reminding her how angry Paul would be with her for letting herself go as she did. I love my sisters, but this was a lose-lose situation no matter what. They couldn't stand to look at me, so when I accepted that and backed off, they thought I abandoned them." Now, I turned to my sisters, my eyes burning, throat tight. "I did _not_ abandon you."

They were both crying now, their hands so tightly clasped together that the knuckles were white. But they didn't say anything.

The doc's tone was gentle now. "Do you think there may have been something you could have done that may have helped prevent this from happening?"

I knew what she was getting at so I hung my head and closed my eyes. "I could have had someone check on them or done it myself."

The sound of the pen on paper was loud in the now quiet room.

"Rachel, Rebecca," the doc said softly. "I think we'll call it for today. I would like you to think on what Jacob has said here. Perhaps the…resentment…is more deeply rooted than what is apparent."

The two of them shared a guilty look but wouldn't even glance at me. Without a word, my sisters gathered their things and left, still holding hands.

I stood up to follow but was stopped.

"Jacob, I was hoping that you and I could talk one on one for a little bit. I'd like to get to know you beyond what you'll let your sisters see."

I really wasn't in the mood for soul-baring because I was convinced I'd done enough today. But the doc was right. She'd had individual sessions with Rachel and Rebecca, so it would only benefit us if she could understand all three of us on an individual level.

I sat back down.

She smiled. "Thank you." She flipped the page of the notebook and wrote something on the top. "There was something earlier that I caught when you were talking. You had a moment when speaking of your children. It seemed to overpower you for that moment. Is there something you would like to talk about there?"

"I…," I shook my head. "No, I can't."

"That's absolutely okay. Will you talk to me about your marriage? Your wife?"

My fingers automatically went to my wedding band. "She's perfect," I whispered.

"You love her a great deal."

I nodded. "More than anything."

"Even your children?" She asked it gently, as if to tell me that she wasn't trying to insult me as a dad. It was pure curiosity.

I shook my head. "No. I love them as much as I love her."

"Then why won't you talk about them?"

At that, I stayed silent.

She caught it again, so she tried another route. "Okay. You said your wife was perfect, but you never mentioned your marriage." She left the statement hanging and wide open for me to dive into.

The hard swallow scraped down my throat. "It was perfect, too…until…"

"Until? Until what?"

Squeezing my eyes shut was a mistake because all I could see was my hand gripping Will's face. It wasn't until the next day that I saw the bruises when he was leaving his house to go to work. In that moment, I'd hated myself. Really, truly hated myself.

"I guess I should start off by saying that my wife, Ness, and I had agreed to never physically punish our kids. No spankings or anything like that. We knew that our children's weaknesses were each other, so to punish them, we'd separate them. Or take away the things they loved like books or games or stuffed toys."

"You hurt one of them? Physically?" she made it a question.

I nodded, eyes squeezed tight again. "My eldest, William. Will. We call him Will. He's named after my father. We had an argument, but we'd smoothed it out. Unfortunately, he said something about it to my wife, which made her cry. I can't stand to see her cry over anything. And whatever does make her cry makes me angry. She told me what Will had said, and…and I don't know what happened. I just got so angry."

I stopped long enough that she asked into the silence, "How did you hurt him?"

Before I could show her, I had to take at least three deep breaths. "I gripped his face, like this." I wrapped my hand around my own jaw. "Gripped hard and pulled him toward me. There were bruises. I left bruises on my son's face."

"Do you feel he deserved it for whatever the argument had been about?"

"It wasn't the argument. It was for making Nessie cry. But he didn't deserve that no matter the argument. What's even worse about all this is that Ness told me Will thinks he did deserve it." Finally, I looked up at her. "My son is a good man. He loves his mother, his own family. He was scared of me in that moment. I remember scenting it on him. My children have never been afraid of me, but they were then. I hate that."

"And your wife? What did she think?"

"She was horrified at what I'd done. She told me to leave the house because she couldn't stand to look at me. I've been gone a week, staying in an abandoned cabin."

"So, she wants a divorce?"

I shook my head. "No. She said I need to figure things out, to apologize to Will or she'd leave me. She promised that if anything like this happened again, she'd leave me."

"Have you decided what to do?"

"I'm going to apologize to my son. Not just to be able to sleep next to my wife again, but because Will didn't deserve it. And neither did his siblings deserve to see it, to see me like that. They shouldn't be afraid of me. I know I'll have to earn their trust back, but I will do whatever I have to do to achieve that. I love them and miss them, too."

"You haven't seen them, either, since your wife asked you to leave?"

I shook my head again. "From a distance, just to check up on them. That's how I saw the bruises on Will. I wanted to stay away. I want them to know that I'm taking this seriously and am taking time to sort things out."

She leaned forward. "I think that's very wise of you, Jacob. And commendable." She looked at her watch. "I think I'll call it. Your sisters are coming back tomorrow, but I'd like you to come before their appointment so that we can talk a little more."

Standing up, I nodded. "Sure. That sounds good."

"You know, most men hate opening up to the degree you have. I'm very impressed and honored."

The leather of my jacket was cold against my hot skin as I slipped it on. I smirked at her. "I think it's because you're direct and tough. It was a challenge, and all I do is meet challenges."

She smiled, opening the door for me. "I try to be what my patients need. It's not just about me being able to read you. You need to read me so that you can trust me. Trust is a two-way street, Mr. Black."

Stopping in the doorway, I turned back. "I think we're at a point that I'd prefer you call me Jacob."

The corner of her lips lifted. "I'll make a note."

"See you tomorrow, doc."

And then I left.

 **Renesmee POV**

The coffee sitting in front of me was growing cold. I'd have to throw it out.

But not even that bothered me. Ever since Jacob left, I'd been cut off from feeling much of anything. It was like I was wrapped in cotton; everything was fuzzy and distant.

Shelby was staring at me over the rim of her mug. We weren't happy with each other.

"So, you haven't seen him in over a week?" she asked.

I shook my head.

She gave me a look out of those emerald eyes. It was a scathing look. "That's a bit over the top, don't you think? For a bit of manhandling?"

Now, I glared at her, a little anger slithering through the fuzziness. "He put bruises on our son for making me cry, Shelby. _I_ overreacted. Will shouldn't have been punished for that."

Still holding her mug up, she wrapped her free arm over her middle using it to brace the mug arm. "From what you told me the kids said, it was about more than just making you cry, Ness." Before I could answer, she shook her head and leaned forward, setting the mug back on the table. "Look, I get it. Nobody likes to see the kids hurt, especially by someone they're close to, but Will should never have confronted Jacob about pushing retirement like that. It was beyond rude and childish."

My anger turned to disbelief. "But it was true. Jacob has been raising those kids to take over so he _can_ retire."

She shook her head. Her black hair was freshly cut and fell into her face. "It doesn't matter if it was true or not. Jacob is still the alpha of his pack. Respect needs to be given from his people, and that includes his children. Will making you cry over _their_ argument was disrespectful to Jacob, especially since they'd already hashed it out. The kids have it too easy, Ness. Will needs to learn to stop and think about these things. If this were a different pack, things could have gone very wrong. If he acts this way with his own parents, how disrespectful and disastrous could he be politically with outsiders? Do I agree with the level of violence that Jacob went to?" She shrugged. "I'm neither here nor there about it. I mean, I know what it cost him to do it and maybe he acted in the moment, but it made his point. Jacob, as a king of sorts, needs to be feared as a leader. I'm not saying as a father, but as a leader. And he is leader to those kids. In that moment, he wasn't their father; he was their alpha. And his lesson worked because Will agreed he'd deserved it for crossing the line by dragging you into it." She held up a hand before I could protest. "I'm not saying he deserved the bruises on the face, but a little manhandling like that is nothing to cry over. They aren't babies anymore and this isn't about punishing them for being mean to each other. Their behavior now has consequences, Ness. It's best they learn those lessons with people who won't kill them if they slip up. From what I understand, a pack leader could have killed his own child for what Will had done: taking pack business elsewhere after that business had been resolved. He got off easy, hun."

She picked the mug back up and sipped her coffee while I stared at her, tumbling those words over and over in my head.

Shelby stared right back and had more to say. "Right now, everything is chaotic. We have alphas and dominants out the ass. Your kids are running around trying to gain support, but really, the only one who has it right, at the moment, is Dox. He's sitting pretty with Rye as Walker's right hand. That young man knows where he belongs. Will, Jules, and Ash? They have decisions to make."

The only excuse I had for what I said next was that I felt like my babies were being attacked. "And your kids are so perfect?"

Shelby's face thinned down to cold anger, her green eyes piercing like ice. "No," she said low. "They aren't. But at least they do what they're told, even Piper who has her own small pack. She actually listens to what people tell her instead of 'taking it under advisement'." She made the air quotes with her fingers. Slowly, she stood up to brace her hands on the tabletop. "And my children weren't born into leadership."

"Piper was."

She shook her head. "No, she wasn't. Those shifters came to her, seeking help. She helped them and became their leader, but she was not born into it the way your children were. If they keep going on the way they are, they're going to get us all killed. You need to get your head out of whatever fantasy world you're living in where everything is lollipops and rainbows. We're about to be dropped in the middle of a supernatural nuke when the world finds out about us, and three of our leaders are acting like whiny teenage brats."

There was a sound from the front door. And then Jules's voice. "Is that really what you think about us?"

Shelby and I looked over to find Jules and Ash standing there with Bray and Cole behind them.

Bray was giving his mother a confused frown. Jules looked hurt, and Ash was trying to decide to be angry or his normal neutral self. Cole just clenched his jaw and shook his head, looking away from us.

"Mom?" Jules asked me when Shelby didn't answer. "Do you agree?"

Slowly and carefully, I put my hands on top of the table, smoothing the wood as I thought about every point Shelby had made. She'd always been the more logical of the two of us, and never went on a tangent unless she truly believed what she was saying.

I swallowed hard. "Do I believe your father was right in handling things the way he did? No, absolutely not. But was it right for Will to disrespect him concerning pack business? Again, no. I am not a member of the pack no matter to whom I'm married. I disagreed with your father's decision to keep Will out of pack business, but I didn't go behind his back because that would have undermined his authority. Coincidentally, Will went behind your father's back to scold me for things that he had already resolved with Jacob. That was undermining Jacob's authority, not as your father but as the alpha of the pack. I will still hold to my terms that Jacob needs to apologize sincerely for hurting your brother, because it could have been handled differently. We have always been a family who talks to each other instead of resorting to violence, and I feel like that is a value we should hold onto for as long as circumstances allow."

There was silence for a moment.

A floorboard creaked to my left. Jules had come to stare down at me. "You didn't answer the question. Do you agree with Shelby that we're a bunch of whiny teenagers?"

I took a moment before answering. "There is no structure-,"

"Answer the question, Mom."

I swallowed hard and closed my eyes. "Yes," I whispered chokingly. Then I cleared my throat and stood up. I was their mother, dammit. I had to be firm here. "There are things happening here that need to be dealt with. Threats and big political events that have no room for personal drama. Right now, the ball is in Dox's court, and he needs his siblings. Right now, your father is still in excellent condition to run the Quileute pack. That role is not yours yet. Right now, your roles should be whatever your father deems them to be within the pack, and I'm fairly certain he'd tell you to support your brother in whatever he needs on the compound. You need to quit squabbling and fretting over leadership roles. Dox has fallen into his, but your time hasn't come yet. You're still learning, and have much to take in. There are a lot of lessons your father learned the hard way at a very young age. He is trying his best to keep you from those nightmares. But we are still your parents." I straightened up and gave her the best mom eye contact I had. "I am still your mother. Not friend or sister. But mother. You will not come in this house again and _demand_ anything from me. Just as I will respect your home and not make demands of you when I am in your house."

Jules was staring at me like she'd never seen me before, the tears trembling in her eyes. They never fell as her jaw clenched. She blinked fast and spun on her heel.

"Jules-,"

"I guess I won't ask for your help," she said coldly.

"But I-,"

Growling, she stalked between Bray and Cole to grab the doorknob, flinging the door open. "I have it taken care of." Then she was out the door.

The boys just looked from the door to me and Shelby.

Bray's expression was cold. "There was a better way to go about that, Mom."

Shelby just lifted a shoulder. "I said what I felt, Bray. You know that's how I operate."

He glared, his emerald eyes sparkling with anger. "How dare you? Jules, my _wife_ , almost died for _all_ of us, including you. If all of you would take a step back to be objective, you'd see that every party is at fault for something. And now _you_ have hurt my wife's feelings, which puts me in an awkward spot. And I know you knew we were standing here. Ness may not have noticed, but I know you did. You said that in front of Jules on purpose, just shoveling more shit. That woman has put her life at risk for both packs way more than you have. I know you won't apologize because you meant what you said. All of this shit is getting out of hand and domino-ing, and I'm tired of it. We have enough shit to deal with, so the next time you want to be petty, just think about that."

And then he turned and went off after Jules. Which left me and Shelby facing Ash and Cole.

I swallowed hard at the blank expression on my son's face.

I opened my mouth to say something, but he held a hand up. "Honestly, I understand where _everyone_ is coming from. I really do. So, I'm going to do what I do best and play negotiator. I'll talk to Jules, Will, and Dox. And I guess I'll talk to Bray now, too. Then I'll see if I can find Dad. But while I'm here, I'm going to say that I agree with Bray. We've got too much going on for this crap. Aunt Shelby, I know that you're blunt and opinionated. It's usually refreshing, but this was family business. I'm not saying you can't have Mom's back and give her advice, but you shouldn't have said what you did knowing Jules was there, knowing that it would most likely cause more drama. That's something we don't need right now."

To my surprise, Shelby looked away from him, her lips pressed tight together. The expression was one I'd rarely seen on my best friend: shame.

"You knew she was there?" I asked.

The shame turned to a glare for me.

"Enough," Ash ordered in a deep voice before Shelby could answer.

We both turned to him, surprised.

His brows were down over angry black eyes. "Stop this shit. What's happened has happened. Mom, you agreed with Aunt Shelby and even confronted Jules. Don't act all high and mighty now. Aunt Shelby, you know what you did was a petty move. But, guys, it's done. Dox isn't healed all the way, and we have leaders and emissaries on their way here as we speak. Now, enough."

And just like Jules, he spun around and left. Cole nodded to us before following.

I stared after them for a long moment before I grabbed my phone.

"What are you doing?" Shelby asked.

Not answering her, I hit speed dial and listened to it ring. When the call was answered, I said, "Seth, where's Jacob?"

Silence met the question. Then, "I…what?"

"Come on, Seth. I know you know where he is. Tell me, please. I need to see him."

"Ness, he told me not to tell you."

I frowned. "Why would he do that?"

"Because you're pissed at him. He needed space to really think things over."

"Please, Seth. I really need to talk to my husband."

"I can't. Not only is he my friend, he's my pack leader. The request was as close to an order without being an actual order."

Closing my eyes, I sank back down into my seat. I would not bully Seth. Those days of me throwing tantrums were over. I'd respect Jacob's wishes and just find him on my own, leaving Seth away from blame. "Okay. I understand. Thanks anyway." Just after hanging up, I pressed another speed dial and prayed.

The call picked up, but silence greeted me on the other side.

I had to clear my throat before saying, "Jacob, I need to see you. Please."

No answer.

My lip trembled, and the thought ran through my mind that this was it. He was so angry with me that we were done. "Please," I whispered, squeezing my left hand into a fist so hard that my inherited wedding ring cut into my skin as a reminder.

His voice, when it came, was low and rough. "What's happened now?"

My heart jumped and skittered in my chest. "No emergencies, I promise. The kids are fine. I just…I need to see you, talk to you. But I don't know where you are."

His answers were so slow in coming, so I had to force myself to wait. He would answer me. "Meet me at the cliffs."

"When?" I said in a breathy tone.

He said a time for later this afternoon saying he had to take care of something and then he hung up. I was left staring at the dark screen of my phone. He never said, "I love you". Either he was so distracted that he needed to hurry off the phone or…or…

Shaking my head, I couldn't finish the thought.

"You didn't push Seth," Shelby said low.

Raising my gaze, I gave her a hard look that was just a thought away from a glare. "I'm not a child anymore to throw temper tantrums. And didn't we just get onto my kids for acting like brats? Besides, Jacob told Seth not to tell me where he's staying. I need to respect that. I need to set the example."

Shelby shifted uncomfortably as she sat down. She wouldn't look at me. "I didn't mean to hurt Jules. I just-,"

I held up a hand. Everything in me wanted to scream at her for the hurt look in Jules's eyes. I hadn't known my daughter was standing there, but Shelby had, and she'd just kept talking. "I am not going to get into it with you. I am…furious…with you, _but_ the boys are right. We have other things to worry about. Dox needs us. Didn't you hear Ash? Dox isn't healed all the way; that's not normal. And I didn't know any of this because I've locked myself away fretting over whether or not Jacob and I are over. My son is hurt, and I didn't even give one thought to whether he was healing. We're being selfish. And when we're selfish, the kids see that. Now, they may not act out on purpose, but they watch us. It was wrong of us to keep Will out of pack business when all Jacob has ever done is raise the four of them to lead. We can't say one thing all their lives and then just randomly take it back. And it was wrong for Jacob to handle Will the way he did. But it wasn't wrong for Jake to feel the way he does. I overreacted because I did hear the conversation where Will and Jake smoothed things over. But I id hear Jake talking to Seth after Will came inside. From that talk to what happened with Will, something snapped in my husband. Now, I'm going to talk to him. We need to sort this out before strangers start arriving."

With that, I left my own house with Shelby staring after me. To help pass the time before my meeting with Jacob, I went to the compound to see Dox.

* * *

On the compound, I was nervous walking in the open spaces. Running into Jules would be awkward; I had no idea what to say to her. Just as well. I'd hurt her feelings in agreeing with Shelby, and she needed some time to cool off.

Nobody answered the door to Dox's place when I knocked, so I let myself in. I followed the sound of deep masculine voices.

Dox was in his office with Jason, chugging down a glass of blood. A simple sniff told me it was fresh. His wince told me it was still warm. The kids had grown up on cold blood so that was their preference unless tasting their mates. I'd always preferred mine warm.

My son was frowning down at the fan of papers spread in front of him. Something in my chest loosened when I saw how alert Dox was. I'd been afraid he was still bed-ridden. The images in my head had not been pretty. Jason was leaning over him. It was the latter to look up and see me first.

"Nessie," he said in surprise. "What are you doing here? Everything okay?" He came around the desk to wrap me in a warm, tight hug. Jason had become like another son to me. I had even temporarily lost my memory when I'd saved his life from a witch intent on killing him.

I smiled against his chest, patting his back. "I'll feel better once I check on Dox." I looked around Jason's arm to give my son a look. "Ash said you haven't healed all the way. It's been days, Dox."

Dox was slowly getting to his feet, leaning heavily on the desk. The skin around his mouth was tight when he smiled. "I'll be fine. Rye and I went to Carlisle this morning. Fresh blood for now until Carlisle clears me to phase."

I shook my head and stepped around Jason. "You should have called me or your…" I trailed off as I remembered his reaction to the incident.

Dox's expression went flat, anger burning in his brown eyes. "I am not calling Dad. Not for anything."

Sighing with sympathy and bit of frustration, I looked up at Jason. "Could we get a minute?"

Jason held up his hands. "Absolutely." He looked at Dox. "Just call when you want me back."

Dox nodded. Once Jason kissed my cheek and left, closing the door behind him, Dox slowly sat down. "I don't want to hear you defend Dad, Mom. I'm tired of this family drama shit."

Tucking away the irritation, I went to sit in one of the chairs. "Dox, baby, I came to check on you. And to apologize."

His dark brows cranked down into a frown, his fingers still on tracing designs over the papers on his desk. "Apologize? For what?"

I took a paper clip off the desk and fiddled with it. "That I let this situation with Jacob interfere with me being a mother. Ash shouldn't have had to tell me that you weren't healing for me to come check on you. I'm your mother. I should be hovering. Instead, I've been-,"

"Worrying if you and Dad are going to separate," he finished for me.

I sighed. "That shouldn't matter. Our relationship shouldn't have prevented me from being your mother. Besides, I don't think we're going to separate."

Dox's expression went from sympathetic back to angry and scowling. "You're defending him."

I gritted my teeth. "Maddox, listen to me. Everybody was wrong at some point in this mess. Jacob should not have gotten physical with Will, _but_ Will shouldn't have chewed me out for _their_ argument that had already been settled. After all, your father and I agreed when you were little that we wouldn't use physical punishment. That didn't sit right with us. And it shouldn't have become physical now. I will hold firm that Jacob needs to apologize to Will for that. But _only_ that. Neither you nor any of your siblings have rights to make demands on Jacob such as retiring from the pack. Not only is he your father, but he's your Alpha. You need to respect that because if his own kids don't respect him in that capacity, the pack will begin to think he's gone soft and that they can get away with things. The older members of the pack grew up with Jacob, but the Quileute pack is growing. The newer generations look to you and your siblings. Maybe not you so much now," I amended, "but Will and Jules and Ash? Yes. The younger kids like Gage and Nechole and Tate look to their leadership rather than your father's. If they see any of you challenging him, they may think that they can, too."

"Dad is alpha by birthright. That means that Will, Ash, and Jules are, too."

I held up a hand. "I understand that, Dox. But this world is changing. If the rez sees a shift in power, they might allow changes to happen. Jacob isn't as firm as some think he should be. As far back as I can remember, he's never given a direct order in that tone that forces the order to be done. He will never take away someone's choices. His people follow him out of love and trust, but that doesn't mean they won't see him as weak when tough decisions have to be made and he won't order his people or punish them when those orders are refused." I sighed as Dox looked at me curiously. "Before I was born, when Jacob was just a teenager, he refused the mantle of Alpha, leaving it to Sam, who had been the first to phase. Sam was the oldest and the better choice to call the shots. But then your grandmother fell pregnant with me. That alone set the wolves on edge. Mom was carrying the child of a vampire. They didn't know what sort of threat I'd be. Jacob talked them into staying their hand for a while. And then, I did become a threat. Mom couldn't eat; she couldn't hold any food down. They kept her alive through IV until the very end when it was Jacob to figure out that I was hungry for blood, not food. But it was too late. The pack had seen your grandmother in Jacob's head when he'd phased. They thought me a monster and swore to destroy me before I was born but doing that meant killing Mom. Sam tried to give the order to Jacob. At first, it almost worked. He almost bowed to it. His love for Mom forced him to accept his birthright, and he managed to shake free of Sam's influence, running to warn the Cullens about the pack. Only two others followed your father to defend your grandmother. Seth and Leah. I think Leah only did it so she could look after Seth. Jacob hated that they'd followed him, putting themselves at risk to Sam's anger, but never once did Jacob order them to leave. He wouldn't do that. Because of the alpha order, he almost lost Mom and therefore, me. The night I was born, the wolves came for us. The Cullens were all vulnerable at the death of my mother. Jacob didn't see me when I was born, he couldn't even stand to look at me. In fact, he was the one coming to kill me himself ten minutes later."

Dox took in a deep breath, his eyes shimmering.

I smiled softly. "I was the reason the girl he loved was dead. I was a monster. But instead of killing me, he met my gaze, and the imprint clicked." Standing up, I leaned across the desk to lay my hand on his arm. "If your father hadn't been who he is, then I and your grandmother wouldn't be here right now. He wouldn't have had a choice. He'd have helped kill the girl he loved and consequently his imprint, his soulmate. You and your siblings wouldn't exist."

He put his hand over mine. "Our birthright…"

I nodded. "Being Alpha _is_ your birthright. You can choose to lead or choose to follow. But just as you, Will, Jules, and Ash have a choice, so do the people of La Push. Nobody knows how it came about that Ephraim Black and his ancestors became the Alpha line. If it was by vote of the people, then that could be the case now. If the people choose a new leader of their protectors, your father would end up powerless and someone cruel could end up Alpha."

Dox dipped his head before frowning. "Why did Will say he deserved what Dad did?"

"I don't know," I answered, sitting back in the chair. "Perhaps he realized how disrespectful he'd been. Jacob and I didn't raise the four of you to be nasty and try to find power in blaming others for things. I disagreed with your father about keeping things from Will, but I didn't go behind his back. It was his decision as I am not a member of the pack. And even if I were, I wouldn't have said anything to Will. Jake does what he does for a reason. Are they always the good or right reasons? No, probably not. But he loves his children, Dox. He _loves_ you. All he wants to do is keep you safe, all of you. To do that, he's going to stay Alpha for as long as his bones will carry him. But I don't, not for one second, believe that Jacob had the right to put his hand to your brother. Jacob has never gotten violent with anyone unless they'd been violent first, so I don't know what set him off. He will not get off easy for it, and he knows that."

Behind his desk, Dox's expression turned to anguish. "I get what you're saying. But when I saw Will with those bruises, and knowing who had done it, all I could think of was Cole."

"What do you mean?"

"The day I took him away from his parents, how beaten to shit he was by his own dad." He rubbed the skin between his eyes. "I didn't think it had bothered me that much. I mean, Cole and I were never particularly close, but knowing how much Ash loved him, even then, made it that much more awful. And all I can think about is that it's a slippery slope. Maybe Cole's abuse started with a slap or a tight grip before escalating. Dad's never been physical with any of us; the rational part of my brain knows that. But he's also a werewolf, more temperamental than humans. What if his slippery slope is faster moving than Cole's dad's?"

In that moment, my heart ached for him. I'd never taken much thought to how that day had affected Dox as opposed to how it had affected Ash. Dox was right, he and Cole hadn't been that close seeing as how Cole and Ash had been hiding their relationship at the time. I should have seen it, though, especially with how he'd treated Victoria when Cole had brought her home.

Before I could get up and go to him, he started talking again, his voice thick with emotion. "I don't want Dad to turn into that kind of pack leader. I don't want us to start becoming like the Children."

Unable to stand it any longer, I got up and walked around the desk to hug him. His head rested on my chest as his arms wrapped around my waist. I kissed his head. "I won't let that happen, baby, I promise."

Dox's arms tightened around me.

 **JPOV**

The waves were calm today as I stared out over the cliffs. The air was cold against my hot skin.

The calm of the waves helped push back the ugliness in my head. Despite the after chat with the doc, the blame I put on my sisters was still there. I was still so angry with them for abandoning me to deal with Billy. And then, when he'd died, I hadn't been able to mourn except for in the arms of my wife. I'd had to be strong for my kids and my sisters. And neither of them had said a word to me after I'd yelled at them.

Taking a deep breath, I flexed my shoulders, tilting my head around to try to ease the tension.

Before coming out here, I'd gone to check on Will. Hunter's body was growing faster as the baby grew, and Will's face was permanently set to worry mode even though he tried to hide it. I sent up a silent prayer to whatever higher power was out there to see her safely through this pregnancy and birth. Other than the worry, his face was unblemished again, the bruises having healed.

Behind me, the shrubs shivered with more than just wind. Her scent came to me as the wind racing up the cliffs clashed with the wind coming off the trees. It was the most perfect scent, mint and honey. My skin tightened with the need to feel hers against it, fingers itching to touch her again. And just like that, fear swept through me. I couldn't lose her, but I'd been gone for a week without a word to her or the kids.

Bracing myself, I turned to face her. As usual when I went for a time without seeing Ness, how beautiful she was nearly brought me to my knees. She still looked the same as she did the day she hit her immortality, somewhere between an older eighteen to a young twenty-five. Today, her hair was down around her shoulders, one half of her face covered from where she parted her hair on one side so that her bangs cut off a side of her profile. She reached up to push all that hair behind her ear, her wedding band, my mother's ring, flashing in the weak light. One hand reached over to pull the sleeve of one of my flannel shirts over the other. Underneath, she was wearing a plain white shirt and tight dark jeans and sneakers. Looking at her like this, it was hard to believe that she was the mother to four grown children as well as a grandmother.

"You're staring at me," she said, her hands still wringing together nervously.

The tension eased when I realized she wasn't holding anything that could resemble divorce papers. Apparently, I'd been expecting it.

I cleared my throat but stayed where I was. If I went closer, I'd touch her, and something told me that that wouldn't be a good thing with the talk we needed to have.

I rubbed the back of my neck. "If I'm gone for longer than a couple days I always forget how beautiful you are."

Her expression softened as her eyes glittered with tears, but she didn't melt or back down. "We need to talk about this, Jake."

I nodded. "Yeah, I know we do."

"You've been gone for a week. We've all been worried."

"Seth knows where I've been."

"I know," she said softly. "He wouldn't tell me earlier, so I called you directly."

"Ness-,"

She held up a hand. "I wouldn't try to bully him into telling me because that would go against the lesson I was trying to exemplify to the kids. Your orders, or almost orders, need to be respected. _You_ need to be respected as the pack leader. I won't say that you weren't right to be angry with Will, but that's the only thing about what happened that I will condone."

"And I understand that. I hate that I hurt Will, not that I was angry with him."

She stepped forward, holding her hands out in desperate way. "Jacob, we swore we wouldn't be those types of parents. I just came from seeing Dox and he's so scared that you're going to end up a dictator like the other leaders of the Children. He's terrified that he or his siblings will end up like Cole with his father."

My stomach dropped and my gut clenched around it.

"I swore to him that I wouldn't let that happen. He's so scared, Jacob, because he remembers taking Cole away from them. He remembers Cole's fear."

It took two tries to croak out, "I would never do that to them."

Ness came closer. "I…I wish I could say that I know that. But your temper pushed you touch Will in a way we swore we'd never do. He thinks he deserved it, Jake."

That news hit me like a brick, making my body sway as I closed my eyes tightly. "He didn't," I whispered harshly. The fact that she didn't come out and say she believed me let me know that she no longer trusted me, and that broke my heart more than any divorce paper could. A mate shouldn't have to question their significant other about things like trust and love.

"But he thinks he did for disrespecting you as a father and leader."

Opening my eyes, I met her gaze. "I don't want to be that kind father, that kind of leader."

Finally, she moved close enough to reach out and take my hands, which she did. "I know," she whispered. "I don't know what to do, though. I don't know how to help you or them. I'm caught in the middle here."

I gripped her hands, the skin craving easing a bit. More than anything, I wanted to hold her against me, to feel her heart beat against my body. "Ness, I went to a therapy session with my sisters. And then I stayed after to talk to the doctor by myself."

Her brown eyes stared up me, shimmering. "You did?" she asked softly.

I nodded. "She wants to see me again tomorrow before the session with my sisters. I think it will help. Talking to you about things is great; you help me more than you know. But I think I also need an objective party outside of our mess to talk to."

She nodded. "Of course. Do what you have to."

Rubbing my thumb over her wedding ring, I couldn't look at her when I said, "You know, I really thought I was coming here to sign divorce papers." She made a small sound, almost a whimper, but I went on, voicing what I'd thought earlier. "I've been gone for a week with no interaction with you and the kids. I just disappeared without apology or explanation."

I felt her hand on my face and realized I'd closed my eyes. Her tears were falling, not a torrent, but a good few. "'Til death do us part, Jake. You're willing to talk to someone, to work through whatever issues you're having. Don't think I won't take that into account. And I love you. Leaving you…" she shook her head. "I'd never be the same because it would be like ripping my heart out to throw into the dirt. Our love means more to me than that. Our life together is just that, ours. If you weren't in it, I wouldn't want to be here. You've been in my life since Day One; I don't know how to live without you. Literally. I will not divorce you for this because I know you're sorry, and I know you'll do whatever it takes to make this right to the kids."

I frowned. "But you threatened to leave me."

She nodded. "I know. And I meant it. In that moment, you seemed so set against seeing the situation like I did. You're never that unreasonable so I had to say something that would get your attention. If this conversation hadn't gone this way, I'd be preparing to leave you. We can't raise the kids to be leaders and then pull back. I know that it never occurred to either of us that the five of you might disagree heavily on certain things, that it wouldn't be all rainbows. But they're young leaders coming into their own. There are wolves in both packs that would follow them in heartbeat. They've all proven themselves in one way or another. Just like you do what you do for your reasons, they do the same. You need to start trusting them."

Leaning forward, I rested my forehead on hers. "They're so young, Ness."

Her nails came up to scratch against the nape of my neck. "You were younger, Jake."

Closing my eyes, I sighed. "You're right." I pulled back and finally cupped her face, swiping at the tear tracks. "I need to go talk to Will."

Her smile was small but filled with love. "I'm sure he'd love to see that you're alive."

Shame made me have to breathe through the tightness in my chest.

Nessie's hands rested on my chest. "Where have you been staying?"

"Does it matter?" I asked angrily.

Now the smiling face turned to a glare. "It does to me. I have no idea where the love of my life has been staying for the past week. I've been so caught up in my own head that I've barely thought of anyone else, including our kids."

I frowned. "What does that mean?"

"You answer my question, I'll answer yours."

I sighed out a growl. "An abandoned cabin a few miles north. Now answer mine."

She scowled with pursed lips but said, "I found out today that Dox isn't healed yet."

My frown deepened as I thought my second youngest son and the wounds on his torso. "What? It's been over a week."

"I know. Apparently, he has an infection. He's mobile but in pain. His body isn't burning off the painkillers as fast as it should, like because he's healing human slow, every other bodily process is just as slow. Carlisle put him on spray antibiotics and fresh blood until Carlisle clears him to phase. He asked Tate to hunt for him."

"Why Tate?"

Ness shook her head and shrugged. "Something about needing to learn to depend on the whole pack rather than his siblings or mate. And it's a good point."

The breath was deep and heavy as I inhaled through my nose and tried to let it out calmly through my mouth. But I was worried. "Let me apologize to Will. Then, I think I should go talk to Dox."

She ran the pad of her thumb over my bottom lip. I shivered. "You don't need my permission to see your kids."

"I feel like I need to ask someone."

"You don't. I'm sure they want to see you whether they're angry with you or not."

* * *

Another ominous door. I felt like I was back at Rachel's again the first time Ava had come to me.

As I lifted my hand to knock, I closed my eyes to think of the ocean at the cliffs to try to get my pulse to chill the fuck out.

But I didn't have to knock because the door opened.

Hunter was on the other side giving me calm, subdued eyes. They turned to my still raised hand, which I quickly put down and cleared my throat.

She smiled a little. "I'm glad you're alright." Her accent was thicker because of the emotion she was trying to hide, but I could feel it. Her hazel eyes were shiny.

"I'm sorry I worried everyone," I answered in a low voice. "How are you?"

Now she smiled a little and put her hand to her stomach. "You've been watching us so you know the baby's growth has sped. Will's worried, but for now, I feel fine. I can eat things this time 'round that I hadn't been able to during my pregnancy with Cordy."

Feeling like shit seemed to be my theme for the day. "God, Hunter, I'm sorry to bring this emotional, stressful crap here."

Reaching out, she touched my arm. "Jacob, don't beat yourself up. I'll be alright. I just want things sorted out. You being here is a good thing. I'm not stressed. I know that you and the kids will figure it out."

I slid my arm until I gripped her hand. "I'm glad you have that much faith."

Now she smiled full out. "Just talk to Will. You'll understand."

The house behind her was lit but empty where I looked over her head. "Is he here?"

She nodded. "Working on the nursery. William!" she called.

There was a loud bang, a curse, and then Will appeared in the hallway with a paint rag in his hands. "You scared the hell out of me," he said still paying more attention to wiping the paint from his skin. After he scrubbed a spot, he looked up. "Are you o-," he stopped mid-question as he saw me, eyes going wide. "Dad!"

Hunter moved out of the way to let Will barrel toward me. I braced for the punch that would come, but that wasn't what happened. Instead, Will pulled me into a hug against him, holding tight.

"Jesus, Dad. Where the hell have you been?"

For just a moment, I was too stunned to move. When he didn't let go, I hugged him back, squeezing my boy tight. "I've been getting my shit together."

Will's arms were like steel. "We expected you to be gone a couple days at most, not a whole goddamn week without a word."

My voice was thick when I said, "I'm so sorry, Will." That apology was filled with more meaning than just for worrying them. It was full of the guilt and the shame of having put my hand on him the way I had. I didn't regret being angry with him, but for assaulting him. I'd never been that kind of leader, and I didn't want to start now. Especially not with my own son.

Finally, after one last squeeze, Will pulled back to study my face. "There's nothing to apologize for. I deserved what happened."

Hunter piped up then. "I'll go get Cordy ready to see her grandfather. She's missed you, Jacob."

Will and I both looked at the happy little smile on her face as she turned away and went deeper into the house.

I gripped Will's shoulders and looked at him. "Look, I was angry and I'm not taking that back. But I should never have put my hands on you. You're my son, my boy, and I swore that I wouldn't be that kind of father. Your mother and I swore we wouldn't be like Cole's parents. You did not deserve the bruises I gave you."

"Dad," he said, his voice rough. "You've never done anything like that, and Mom is your imprint. It was bound to happen that one of us would upset her enough to piss you off. That it hasn't happened before now is a miracle."

"No," I growled firmly. "Don't defend me. If you don't hold me accountable, it could happen again. I will not ever touch you like that again. You would never hurt Cordy or the new little one if they grew up and hurt Hunter; I know you wouldn't."

He stared at me for a long moment with those toffee colored eyes. Then, looking away, he smirked. "Hunter said the same thing." He met my gaze again. "Dad, I'm not mad at you. I don't hate you, and I was very disrespectful to both you and Mom. So, I owe you an apology as well. You're my father and my pack leader. I was just so pissed that I'd been kept out of the loop and treated like I wasn't part of the family. Dox was hurt and I didn't know. He's my little brother, and even if I were to take a back seat to leave leading to the twins and Jules, I still need to know about my family. However, that didn't give me the right to treat you as if you're an invalid or to take our disagreement out on Mom when you and I had already settled things. I'm sorry, Dad. I'll talk to Dox, Jules, and Ash. I know they were pretty mad. Have you seen or talked to Mom?"

I nodded. "I saw her just before I came here. She told me about Dox, about how he's not healing."

Will frowned. "What?"

"You didn't know?"

He shook his head, stepping back to run his hands through his hair. "No," he growled. "Dammit."

I reached out but didn't touch him. "He's kept the info quiet from everyone except Ash. That's how Ness found out. Ryell is taking care of him, making sure he does what Carlisle says."

Will nodded but said, "He won't like being babysat. He'll do what Carlisle says no matter what. That's just the kind of person he is."

"You're right. He's different than the three of you."

Will's expression turned sour. "You mean better at being a leader than the rest of us."

Tone going stern, I said, "That's not what I said, and you know it."

He nodded. "Sorry. I know."

I softened the tone. "I just meant that he's rougher around the edges, more like a Child. He has a lot of pride, and it gets in his way, in his head. Maybe it's because he's mated to Rye, but whatever it is, he's a different kind of leader than the three of you. I think it'll be a good thing that he's more involved with the Children."

Will wasn't looking at me as he nodded.

I hit his arm. "I'm going up to see him. Why don't you come with?"

Before he could answer, the sound of little feet pattering on hard wood echoed. "Gampa! Gampa!"

With a smile, Will moved so that Cordy could run up and launch herself into my arms. Laughing, I caught her up and kissed her face. "Ah, how's my girl?"

After all the cuddles and kisses, Will and I were ready to leave, but Cordy wasn't ready to let us out of her sight. Grinning but shaking her head at Cordy's pouty face and tears, Hunter grabbed her coat and shoes and handed Will the keys to the Jeep.

Will kissed her cheek. "You'll be okay?" he asked.

Her grin turned to a warm smile. "I promise, love. I'll probably just take a nap or catch up on some TV."

He put his hand gently to her stomach and kissed her lips this time before pulling away. Once we got Cordy bundled up, she let me put her in the car seat.

"You didn't drive?" Will asked as he got behind the wheel.

I gave him a look as I finished buckling Cordy in. "I took off in wolf form. Kind of hard to drive without opposable thumbs, son."

He chuckled. "True enough."

Looking back, I tickled my granddaughter's neck. She giggled and squinched up. "Ready to go see Uncle Dox and Aunt Ryell?"

She grinned. "Yeah-huh."

"Good girl," I said leaning in to kiss her head.

The ride up to the compound was full of Cordy telling me all about the things she'd been doing with Will's prompting. As we drove through the compound, several wolves stopped when they saw me in the car. Some faces showed surprise or were just neutral.

"Why are they looking at me like that? It's like they didn't expect to ever see me again." I met one particularly hostile glare and looked away.

Will kept his voice low. We were driving slow on a road that was just big enough to accommodate two cars passing each other. Kids tended to play in the street because Walker had only allowed the roads to be paved and others to buy cars if they didn't drive like crazy idiots. "The only people who know why you really left are those in our inner circle. We told the packs that you needed to get away for a bit to sort of recharge."

"But why?"

He looked over at me, his expression careful. "Dad, you're a constant presence here on the compound, and then suddenly you're not with no explanation. They don't see you with us when we're around or with Mom when she visits. And none of us, especially Dox, explained your absence. You're one of their leaders, and you just disappeared." He lifted a shoulder in a half shrug. "They needed a reason why you were gone."

I looked at him. "What? Like I abandoned them?" I looked out the windshield. "They're not my people."

Will snorted. "Could you honestly look at these people and think that?"

"I don't even know all of them."

"You don't know everyone on the rez, either. You were born and grew up there. For a long time, Walker looked to you for guidance to lead them. You're like a godfather to this pack. If Walker isn't around and neither Dox nor Ryell can answer a question, they look to you. You're important," he said voice low. "To both packs." He looked over at me. "Too important to even think about retiring anytime soon."

I turned to fully look at him.

He adjusted in his seat and cleared his throat. "I really am sorry for saying that. I didn't mean to make it sound like you aren't capable anymore. It's just I want you and Mom to take some time to enjoy yourselves, maybe go back to the island for a while and relax. You both have dealt with so much shit for so long."

Staring at him, a warm feeling took root in my chest. "Will, son, I love that you want to take care of me and Mom. I really do. But the crisis-,"

"And we will always have some sort of crisis, Dad. That's the way it's always gone in every book or movie. The world is full of crises, but at some point, you're going to need to trust us enough so that you can take care of yourself and Mom."

"I do trust you," I said and realized I meant it. Ness had been right; I had a hard time trusting them because of how young they were, but I'd been younger when I'd taken the mantle of my birthright. My four offspring had more than proven themselves already and I needed to accept that.

"Then take Mom to the island and take a vacation. For us, for our peace of mind."

Chuckling, I reached for the door handle when Will put the car in park in front of Dox and Rye's cabin. "How about after the current crisis is taken care of, I talk to Mom about that?"

He huffed out a breath. "I think I can handle that."

"Papa." Cordy was reaching out for Will.

He turned in his seat. "Grampa's gonna get you, okay?"

Her gaze turned to me as she tugged on the belt and buckle. "Gampa?"

"I'm coming, baby. Let me get out."

Soon, she was back in my arms, hers wrapped around my neck, her cheek pressed to mine. Will smiled and shook his head.

"Just like Jules," he said.

I chuckled. "Oh yeah. She was always a daddy's girl."

My son shook his head again. "It's not that. It's just who you are."

Before I could say anything, he was walking down the little stone path to the front door that he knocked on. To my surprise, it was Dox who opened the door.

It felt like I hadn't seen him in months even though I knew it was only a few days. He was thinner, shoulders hunched over as if standing straight hurt the wounds. From what I remembered of the ragged claw marks, it probably would pull the skin too taut.

His dark eyes studied us. He wasn't surprised to see me but his brows went up when he looked at Will and Cordy. "Dad I was expecting. The two of you, not so much."

Cordy grinned, reaching out for her uncle. "Doc!"

Smiling back, he reached out to take her.

"You sure?" I asked.

He nodded. "I can keep her on my right side, and she's not that heavy." Taking her, he did what he said, settling her on his right side.

To be honest, she was too big to hold like that. But we were big guys, so we could handle it. And she was a little girl who loved being held by the men in her life.

She gripped Dox's face and kissed his cheek.

Chuckling, he returned the kiss before turning around and motioning us inside. "It's an unfair advantage, you bringing her."

I smiled as Will closed the door behind us and we followed Dox to the stairs. More than likely we'd be talking about things he didn't want the pack to hear, and the office was noise proof.

"It wasn't our choice," Will answered.

In the upstairs hallway, Dox looked over his shoulder. "One of those famous tantrums, huh?"

Will's face went deadpan as he nodded, staring at his daughter. "Uh-huh."

Grinning, Dox bounced her before kissing her cheek. "She is a Black."

"No," Will said. "She's her _mother'_ s daughter."

Dox and I laughed as we all trooped into the office, closing the door behind us.

"To be fair," I pointed out as Dox slowly sat down with Cordy in his lap and Will sat next to me in the chairs before the desk. "She is married to a Black, and your imprint picked her."

Playful horror hit Will's face. "Good grief. You're right; she gets it from both sides." Rubbing his face, he groaned. "Hunter and I are so screwed."

Grinning, I clapped him on the shoulder. "Don't forget that you're having another one."

He groaned again.

Dox laughed. "Have you found out what the baby is yet?"

Will slumped in the chair and shook his head. "Not yet. With everything that's been happening…we just wanted the whole family to know, for it to be a happy moment."

"Ah, hell, son," I said, catching his meaning. "I'm sorry."

His lips quirked as he shook his head again. "Don't, Dad. It wasn't your fault."

"We'll agree to disagree on that one." I looked at Dox who was taking his letter opener away from Cordy. "That's one of the reasons I came, Dox. Your Mom told me about the talk the two of you had today."

His eyes flicked up to me before going back down to Cordy.

Will watched us curiously, and I knew he wanted to ask.

I scooted forward in the chair but leaned even closer. "Maddox, I will not turn into Cole's dad." Will's head swung around to look at me, but I kept going. "I love you, all of you. The last thing I want is for you to fear me to the point that you can't be your own people, that you'll just do whatever I say so as not to be the target of my anger. You have to be who you are, and yes, that means that we'll butt heads, especially me, you, Will, and Ash because we're men. But that doesn't mean I want you afraid of me. All four of you have earned the right to lead our people, and I do need to learn to back off. I know you're busy here with Rye and the Children, and with this party coming up, you need our support. You'll be our priority. Our resources are yours, Dox. I don't want our family drama to get in the way of an event that is important to you and your mate's people. We've been treating it like a crisis, but it's not. It's important to your future." I sighed. "Look, I know that what you saw me do to Will triggered some bad memories for you. I can't even begin to understand what it was like for you to find Cole like that before you brought him home, how scared he must have been. You were just kids and had just phased. And I never ever wanted to be in a situation where you compared me to that bastard dad of his, but I can see your point. I'm not angry, Dox. I'm glad you told Ness because she knew that telling me would put things in perspective for me, and it did. I know at least three of you don't trust me anymore, or at least not as much as you did. Your mother certainly doesn't. I don't blame her or you for that, especially after all the preaching I've done as you grew up that the pack needed to start looking to the four of you. I've been a hypocrite. Your brother didn't know how badly you were hurt, I kept him out of pack business, and then I hurt him just because he went off on Ness. We all make mistakes, and that's what happened. Dox, I am so sorry."

The room was quiet after my speech, except for the sounds of Cordy playing with items on the desk

When Dox looked up at me, his eyes were glittering in the light. Then he looked to Will. "You don't think anything wrong happened, do you?"

Will flicked a glance at me before locking gazes with his brother. "I don't. But Dad and I agreed to disagree on that. I seem to be the only one who thinks he didn't cross a line. The point is, though, that he does and holds himself accountable."

They held eye contact for a long time before Dox looked at me again. "You're right; I don't trust you not to fly off the handle again. Mom is your weakness and we aren't children anymore. We can take pain and injuries now, and somewhere in your subconscious, you know that. Not only are we your children, but we _are_ members of the pack and we should remember that. Mom is your mate and, therefore, the alpha female of the pack."

Nodding, I tried to hold my expression together as my heart sank. I hated that my children didn't trust me.

" _But,"_ he continued, "if Will can forgive you, then so can I. The offense was against him, not me. I wasn't even there. And the truth is, I need you and Walker there. The two of you are successful leaders. These will be strangers we're dealing with. I don't know them, and they don't know me, and you know I'm not that diplomatic."

Coughing a laugh, I nodded, this time with more fervor. "That is true. Don't worry, son. I'll be there, and so will the rest of the family. Now, your mom also told me you're not healed yet."

Dox sighed and went back to playing with Cordy. "I went to Carlisle a couple days ago. It's better than it was. He thinks I'll be able to phase before the party. Until then, as the guests arrive, I'll need to act as normal as possible. Or pass it off as an intense training accident." He shrugged. "Something, I don't know. I'm on fresh blood, antibiotics, and painkillers. The drugs aren't working as well, so that's a good sign I'm healing. And there's no more green goo coming out of the wounds."

Will and I shared a dark look.

"Dox," Will said, sitting forward and clearing his throat. "Why didn't you say anything?"

Dox looked at Will over Cordy's head. "Because I need to depend on my people, not just my family. Tate's been hunting for me. I've been taking the meds and sleeping as much as I can." He looked down, then back up at Will with an intense look. "We've got to stop calling on each other for our emergencies, Will. You have a family, a new baby on the way. You shouldn't be worrying over me, too. Hunter should be your priority. Jules just got married. Ash and Cole are taking care of Victoria and planning for that baby. I'm not going to ask my siblings to put me before their families. I have Rye and the pack here. It's time I learn to depend on them. Tate is staying up here as far away from his aging parents as possible, and he's the only full-blooded Quileute here other than Ash, so he doesn't have the urge to eat what he hunts. And as far as I know, he's got nothing better to do than watch Gage and Nechole suck face; he was perfect for the task."

Just then, there was a knock on the door.

"Speak of the devil," Dox muttered. "Come in."

To my surprise, it was actually Tate who came through the door in sweats and nothing else. He had a large glass of blood in one hand and was wiping it down with a ratty towel as he walked in. The hand holding the towel was coated in blood as if he'd dipped his hand in a puddle of the stuff, but I knew better. There were spatters of it on his chest. Tate wasn't accustomed to hunting and draining deer, so his first few were going to be messy until he got the hang of it. But even then, I knew from experience that sometimes, they spurted no matter how good one got at it.

He was halfway to the desk before he looked up and paused at the site of me and Will and Cordy. He blinked a few times before nodding, hiding his surprise, and walking around the desk to set the glass before Dox but far enough away from Cordy's reaching hands.

"No, Cordelia," Will told her in a stern tone. "That's Uncle Dox's."

She turned those hazel eyes to her father, judged his expression, and nodded. "Otay, Papa." She snuggled back into Dox's chest as he bumped knuckles with Tate.

"Thanks, man. I really do appreciate this."

"Just let me know when you're ready for the rest of it." Then he clapped Dox's shoulder before tapping Cordy's nose with a clean finger and giving her a wink. She giggled for him and snuggled closer to Dox. When he turned to us, he gave me and Will easy smiles and nod before leaving, shutting the door behind him.

Dox picked up the glass, breathed deeply, and then took three or four deep pulls. When he pulled back to breathe, he made a gagging sound. "I try to choke this crap down as fast as possible. I hate warm blood." Then he was back to chugging, leaving only an inch or so at the bottom. He asked Will, "Can she have some?"

Cordy was looking at the glass in fascination.

Will nodded. "Yeah, she hasn't had any recently."

"You drink fresh?"

"I've gotten a taste for it, and so has she."

Dox tipped the glass toward her mouth. Cordy held on, too, but Dox did all the work, making sure she didn't tip too far. She drank and slurped until that last inch was history. When he set the glass back down, she leaned back against him, licking and sucking on her lips. We all chuckled as her eyelids started to droop.

"She's due for a nap anyway," Will said still laughing.

The three of us watched her for a while until she fell asleep against her uncle's chest. He held her tightly against him, and for a moment, I could see Dox sitting at this desk with a different baby on his lap. I had a perfect image of him trying to bottle feed a baby in his arms while on the phone, the receiver held between shoulder and ear. I smirked at the image. He'd make a great father.

But first, we had to make it through the party.

Leaning forward, I said quietly, "What do you need from us?"

 **JulesPOV**

Hours later, there was a towel wrapped around my wet hair as I walked out of the bathroom.

"You seem calmer."

Bray was standing in the doorway to our bedroom, one shoulder against the doorjamb, his arms crossed over his chest. He'd followed me all day long but staying at a distance to let me fume. He was a good husband, but I also knew he was pulling guard duty. He had this idea that the leaders should start having personal guards. I vetoed the idea of even going to my brothers or parents for now. Jason was already spread thin in planning the party and where all the guards would go. But because of that, Bray had taken to following me around, paying attention to my moods to know which mode he needed to be in: husband or guard.

Sighing, I sat down on the side of the bed in my underwear. There was no more of sitting on the foot of the bed because we now had a fancy footboard to go along with the headboard. "I am. You know, storming off the way I did just proved their point. It was childish. I should have stayed to talk to them."

Bray unfolded his arms and came to sit beside me. "My mom could have gone about things differently."

I shook my head. "We're a blunt bunch, Bray. When we're criticizing each other, the best way is to be brutal about it. Otherwise, we might just ignore it and be petty. But this isn't something to take lightly. I think what it is, is that my brothers and I are having a hard time balancing being leaders and followers at the same time. And Will did disrespect both Mom and Dad by saying what he did to Mom. I'm not saying that I agree with Dad's physicality, though."

Bray took my hand. "I know. It took all of us by surprise, and not in a good way.

I squeezed his fingers before getting up to get dressed. "I should go talk to our moms, but someone needs to check on Quinn and her people."

"I already talked to Piper. She's giving them the rundown and telling them to lay low. So far, they seem to be doing well. Apparently, Dakota talked Wyatt and the other guys into training with the enforcers."

As I buttoned my jeans, I looked at him in the mirror. "You're the best. Thank you."

He came up behind me, wrapping his arms around my waist. "You're busy worrying about your family. The least I can do is be your second in command."

I rested my hands over his and leaned my head against his where it rested on my shoulder. "I think my brothers and I can agree that you're a great choice for second in command. Father like son, huh?"

He shrugged around me. "I've spent my whole life watching my dad be your dad's second. Will is my best friend, and I see the twins as the little brothers I never had. And _you_ are my wife, my mate. I know we had our differences a while back, but I think we're on the same page now, Jules. I feel comfortable making the decisions if you need me to. That's why I went ahead and called Piper to see if she needed help with anything while Jason is busy being head enforcer."

"You are seriously amazing," I said softly, raising my hand to his neck and jaw.

He shook his head. "I'm doing what I see as my job. You and the boys can't do everything at once, especially with the packs as big as they are now. Your dad had mine, but our numbers were much smaller. A pack's job is to help their leaders. That's all I'm doing, babe."

Turning in his arms, mine snaked around his neck. I went up on tiptoe to put a soft kiss to his lips. "Be that as it may, you're still amazing."

The corner of his mouth lifted in a smirk. "I suppose I should just take the compliment."

I grinned. "I mean, I can always take it back. It would be a lie, but…"

He gripped me tighter. "Thank you, Jules. I always want to do my best by you and your brothers."

Going up on tiptoe again, I kissed him again. His hands slid down to my butt, squeezing lightly while we kissed.

We pulled apart, breathless.

"I should call mom," I panted.

A purr came from his chest. "We can always wait an hour or two."

Chuckling, I pulled away feeling a little shaky. "No. Bad Bray," I admonished. When he pouted, I went back to the closet laughing. "We have adult things to take care of before we can have adult fun, so suck up that lip. It's distracting."

There was a growl from the room. I looked over my shoulder and squealed, stupidly running further into the closet where I was trapped while Bray chased me. When he grabbed me, he poked out that lower lip in the sexiest pout.

"You mean that lip?" he growled.

Leaning up, I bit that lip. "Yes, that one."

Bray's arms tightened so hard that our bodies were pressed as tight together as they could be without him being inside me. And even at his hips, I could feel his hardness pressing into my stomach. I rotated my hips, and he groaned. As his head dropped, I felt his lips on the mound of my breast before his warm breath was followed by his teeth. The bite was fast and hard, making me cry out.

"Oh my God," I called out, my nails digging into his shoulder. "If you don't stop, we're gonna fuck right here on the closet floor."

He let out a dark chuckle before releasing my breast. The sound vibrated over my skin, making me shiver.

"Well, it is the one room we haven't broken in yet."

I groaned. "And the other closets."

"Mmm," Bray murmured against my skin. His tongue came out to lick me. I shivered again. "I think we can fix that."

Running my fingers through his hair, I gripped a handful of it and pulled him a little away from me. He was stronger than me in straight brute strength, and because he fought me, I could only manage to get him an inch or so away from my flesh.

"Not today," I breathed harshly.

For a heartbeat, neither of us moved. Then he pulled forward to lay a kiss on the mound of each breast where they pushed above my bra. The movement had to be painful. He didn't really like hairpulling unless it was in the middle of sex, but I didn't let go that he might take it as permission. But then he was lifting his face, kissing my breastbone, collarbone, and neck before reaching my lips.

"Not today," he whispered before laying a gentle kiss on my mouth.

He gave me one more gentle squeeze before pulling away with a smirk. "I'll text your mom while you finish getting ready."

To steady myself, I took a few deep breaths and nodded with my eyes closed. I was stupidly aroused enough to forego responsibilities if I looked at him right that moment.

I expected him to leave after that, but I felt him come closer to kiss my forehead. "I love that you still want me that much," he said.

And then he was gone.

The tension rushed out, leaving me weak. I leaned back against a shelf, only opening my eyes when I heard his voice further away than the bedroom. Cursing, I grabbed the first shirt my hand touched. It was one of his flannel shirts in dark forest green and black. I shook my head as I pulled it on, wrapping his scent around me, and buttoned it up. My breast stung a little as the fabric rubbed over it. Pulling the neck away, I looked down. Bray's teeth had left a perfect circle over the top of my breast, but a couple spots where his canines had been had filled with blood. Well, then. I let the fabric fall back and got used to the sting. The sleeves I rolled to my elbows and pulled my hair out of the neck. Good thing I was mostly leg because the shirt hit the tops of my thighs instead of midthigh. And I also had boobs to help lift the shirt. It was nice and loose but didn't look like I was a kid playing in my daddy's closet.

After slipping into my sneakers, I went to find my irritatingly sexy husband. He was in the kitchen going through the fridge. "What are you looking for? And what did my mom say?"

"She said to meet her at Dox's place," he said, voice muffled. "And I'm looking for…aha!" He pulled back holding the jug of blood that we'd gone hunting for yesterday. "You didn't drink any of this yesterday because it was too warm. It's cold now and you're going to need as much strength as you can get to deal with all the stress coming up." Then, as he held out the jug to me, he saw what I was wearing. That infuriating smirk caused my heart to go pitty-patt.

Grumbling, I took the jug from him. "Thanks."

I went about getting a glass, and he leaned back against the kitchen counter, crossing his arms over his chest. "Don't get grumpy with me," he said. "You know what it does to me to see you wearing my clothes."

I rolled my eyes but didn't answer as I took a few gulps. He was right, I needed this. Suddenly I was dying of thirst like I'd been in the desert for days without water. The first glass was messy as I finished it off, blood dripping down the side of my face and jaw. Bray wiped it up with a paper towel. The second glass went down much slower and smoother.

"Thanks," I said genuinely, putting down the glass.

"You're welcome," he said taking the glass and rinsing it in the sink. His look was serious when he turned back to me. "We should hunt more. You shouldn't be that thirsty."

"We've been a little busy." I took the paper towel and finished cleaning myself up.

"Yeah but that's not an excuse. You're a quarter vampire, and that quarter isn't dormant. It's very active and needs to be fed. That's where most of your speed and strength come from. We can't neglect that side of you."

I sighed. "You're right, you're right. I just don't know where we're going to find the time."

Bray gave me a look.

"What?"

He shrugged a shoulder. "I heard Dox asked Tate to hunt for him."

That grabbed my attention even though the change in topic threw me off. "What? Why?"

"Piper said Dox is still looking rough."

I frowned. "He should have healed days ago."

Bray tossed his head. "Maybe, maybe not. He was attacked by another shapeshifter. Even with vamp healing, it may not be as fast."

"Okay, but why I didn't he say anything? He could have asked me for help."

Bray's eyes narrowed. "Jules, you just said we barely have time to hunt for you. Would we magically find it to hunt for him?" he asked sarcastically.

I glared at him. "Okay, smartass. You have a point to make so make it already."

He pushed a puff of breath out. "Jules, honey, the pack is good for more than just running patrol. I'm sure some wolves would like something to do. Dox is making use of his resources by using Tate, who is staying on the compound with Gage."

Crossing my arms, I glowered. "True, but it's my food. If Dox is too hurt to hunt for himself, that's one thing. I'm perfectly healthy."

Pushing away from the counter, Bray held his hands out for mine. After a moment, I gave them to him. "You can't do everything. We, the pack, understand how much you're juggling. You need to let us help you. Hell, I'll do it. All you have to do is ask. I am a member of your pack. I follow you. Jake knows that; he knows I'll follow your orders before his. I would have been hunting for you this whole time, but I didn't want you to think that I thought you couldn't do it. Like I said, other than running patrol, we don't have much to do. With both packs running, we don't need everyone on a patrol schedule. We turn into giant wolves, so trust me, we like to use that and be useful. If you want, I can grab a couple other wolves and make a hunting schedule. That way, that's one less thing you have to worry about."

Thinking about the deeper meaning to what he said, I hung my head. "We've stopped depending on our people."

"No," Bray said, gripping my hands. "You and your brothers are used to depending on each other, and that's hard to let go of. You know they'll always be there for you. But Dox is becoming a leader with Ryell; he's got to reach out to his pack in order to make roots there. You, Will, and Ash need to do the same with our people. That starts with you guys trusting us to do things for you while you're taking care of the insanely important stuff."

We stood there for a moment, still holding hands. Honestly, he wasn't wrong in any of his points. Dad always gave assignments to the pack. Even the most mundane tasks he made seem extremely important. He knew the restlessness of the pack, but my brothers and I shared some of the stillness of the vampires. We weren't always restless, but we needed to start asking the pack to do things, even little things. I wasn't saying things like cleaning my house or buying my groceries but utilizing the pack _for_ the pack. And that included the member of the pack standing in front of me.

Gripping his hands, I lifted my chin and said, "Bray, I have something I'd like to ask you to do for me."

His lips pressed together to try to hide the smile, but his eyes were shiny with amusement. "I am all ears, Mrs. Clearwater. What would you have of me?"

I warmed at the sound of my new name and smiled back. "Would you please get one or two of our wolves who are willing to hunt and create a schedule?"

Still hiding a smile, he lifted my left hand to place a kiss on my ring. "I would be honored to." The humor softened, and he kissed my cheek. "Thank you. Now, let's get you up to the compound. Can't have a day around here without drama. Heaven forbid."

I gave him a deadpan look as he pulled me toward the door. He laughed when he looked over his shoulder.

* * *

Thirty minutes later, Bray was pulling his truck up to Dox's place.

I frowned. "That's Will's Jeep. What is he doing here?"

"Dunno," Bray said as he put the truck in park. "But your mom's coming out the front door."

Breathing in deep, I opened my door and hopped out. Even as tall as I was, I had to jump in and out of the damned thing. Bray loved it.

He was smirking as we met at the hood. See? Loved it. Jerk.

"I think I'll go check in on Piper and Quinn, see if they've killed each other yet. You need some family time."

I grimaced. "Thanks."

He kissed my cheek. "It'll be fine. Just remember why you're here."

"Hey, Bray," Mom said as she walked up on us.

"Hey, Ness. I was just about to leave you two to it. I need to check on Piper."

Mom nodded. "Good idea. I'm sure she'd love some one-on-one with her brother."

Bray gave her a smile before waving and starting back down the road we'd come toward his sister's place. Man, I wished I was going with him as I watched him forlornly. But, alas, he was right. I was here for a reason. I turned back to Mom. She seemed calmer than she had earlier, just like Bray had noticed with me. She was even smiling. And then I realized we were dressed the same. We looked like sisters.

That thought brought back our earlier argument about how she wasn't my sister or friend, but my mom. The pain left my chest and stomach hollow. We'd always been so close and to hear her say we weren't friends broke my heart.

The emotion must have been plain on my face because I saw her reach out as she said, "Oh, honey, I'm so sorry."

Clearing my throat, I shook my head and moved back. "It's okay, Mom. You were right. Dox needs us. We need to prioritize and worry about leadership squabbles later. I'm sorry I yelled at you. My storming out just proved your point. And I'm not angry with Shelby either. Like I told Bray, we're a blunt bunch. It's the only way to get us to pay attention, like snapping your fingers in someone's face."

She took my hand. "I appreciate that, Jules. Really, I do. But that wasn't the pain on your face just a second ago. You were remembering my 'we're not friends' comment, weren't you?"

I swallowed hard and tried really hard not to blink. If I did, the tears would fall.

She shook my hand. "Jules. Please look at me."

I shook my head but stopped to take a breath. I was not a coward. Slowly, I lifted my gaze to her face.

Her expression was sad and stern. "I did not mean that comment. At all. I meant that I am your mother _first._ But you will always be my little girl and my favorite shopping buddy. What would I do without you?" Reaching out, she brushed my hair behind my ear. "Shelby doesn't read the same things I do, so I can't gossip about romance hunks like I can with you. Who would I share my love of photography with? I love the time we spend together, and I am so sorry that I said that."

I fought it, I really did. But my lip trembled, and the tears fell as I wrapped my arms around her. She hugged me tight against her, and I felt her lips in my hair behind my ear. We held each other for a long time, me silently crying into her hair and shoulder. She hugged and rocked me, petting my hair down my back.

After a while, she pulled back to wipe her thumbs over my cheeks. But I was surprised to see that her eyes were red, too, with tear tracks down her skin. "What do you say we go see if Ryell and Christa need any help?"

I nodded and choked out a small laugh. "Yeah. That's what I wanted your help on earlier, seating arrangements."

Mom laughed. "Okay, let's see what we can do."

She turned so she was standing beside me, both of us facing the house. Her arm wrapped around my shoulders just as I looked up to see the hulking shape of my dad standing on the porch. He was watching us, his eyes glittering in the weak sunlight.

My breath caught. "He came back," I whispered.

Mom nodded. "He did."

And then I was running. Just the fact that he and Will were in the same place at the same time and that Dox hadn't kicked him out meant that things were forgiven. Maybe not forgotten, but still forgiven. Dad had made it to the bottom of the porch steps when I crashed into him hard. He wrapped his arms around me, holding me tight against him.

I gripped his shirt, pressing my face to his chest. "Where have you been?" I demanded through my tears.

"It doesn't matter," he said leaning over me to kiss the top of my head. "I'm back now, and I won't leave again."

"Promise me. Swear it to me." And I realized that this was incredibly important to me. This past week without seeing him, I hadn't really thought about his absence, but now that he was here and holding me like I was his little girl let me know that somewhere in my subconscious, I had noticed. Of course, at first, I hadn't wanted to see him. But after a couple days had passed from the incident, I'd wanted to talk to him and hadn't been able to find him anywhere. That's when I'd found out that he'd taken off after Mom had given him the ultimatum. That's what that mournful howl had been about.

"I won't leave again, Jules. I swear it on my dad's grave. Unless it's death or vacation, I won't leave you. Any of you."

Relaxing in his arms, I laughed a little. "Death or vacation. I'm starting to think those two are closer in relation than we realize."

He chuckled, the sound rumbling against my ear. I valued that sound. "Well, let's try not to think about that."

"Dad?"

Reluctantly, I pulled away to look over my shoulder at Ash. His expression was part anger, part caution, and part confusion. Then he looked to me and where I was hugging Dad. I realized he was still angry about what had happened, and that surprised me. I'd expected him to be the cool, calm, almost neutral out of the four of us. I watched as Ash's dark eyes took in everything from Mom to Will's Jeep to Dad's shift in demeanor to nervous.

Almost as if he'd felt Ash's angry energy, Will appeared in the doorway behind us. "Let it go, Ash."

Ash's expression darkened as he shook his head. "You think you deserved it, so you'll forgive him." Then he looked at me. "But you? I thought you agreed with me? That we didn't trust Dad like that anymore?"

I felt Dad's shoulder's slump as if that had been a punch to the chest.

Turning, I glared at my brother. "I did agree. But look at where we are. Dox forgave Dad. If he can, we can. He's the most temperamental of the four of us."

"I forgave," said a shaky voice from behind Will. Our eldest brother stepped aside to reveal the injured brother. He was thin, too thin, and looked tired as he leaned against the doorjamb. And I noticed he had a cane, too. He must have been more hurt than anyone let on if he was shelving his masculine pride in favor of a walking aid. He cleared his throat and moved the cane out of sight as his eyes scanned the road behind us. "I forgave, Jules, but I made it clear there were still trust issues."

I looked from him to Dad, looking up into his face. There was pain in his dark eyes, but also acceptance.

He cupped my shoulders and pushed me back a little. "I don't want anyone to defend my actions. Will, Dox, and I have already talked." His gaze moved over my shoulder to Ash. "I don't expect everything to go back to normal. I don't expect you to trust me, especially after the very personal history of Cole and his dad. It had to be especially hard on you to see what I did to your brother. Ash, I can't express how sorry I am. I can only apologize so much before it just becomes words. I know it'll take time to get back in your good graces, yours especially. And I will do whatever is necessary to do that. All of you mean everything to me."

It was then that I realized Cole was there. Ash's anger had stolen my attention, but Cole was there, just behind him trying to look small as he stood next to his car.

He shook his head, shoving his hands into his pockets. "Don't make this about me. What my dad did was-,"

"The evolution," Dad finished. "I'm sure the abuse started in more subtle ways, Cole. My kids are worried I might wind up down that road. I need to show them, to show you, that I won't be like that. You're like a son to me, Cole. I don't want you or anybody else to think your dad is what I'm going to turn into."

Cole looked away, hiding eyes that were too glittery to be normal, and nodded. "I understand."

Ash turned back to us, looking away from his mate. The anger died down a little. "I don't hate you, Dad. I just…"

"I know, son. I've never been physical with any of you. It took you by surprise. Me, too. I can only promise you that I will try my hardest to be more conscious of my actions. This will not happen again."

Ash crossed his arms. "Where have you been staying?"

I stepped out of Dad's arms to stand in front of him. "Ash," I snapped.

He ignored me, keeping those black demanding eyes on Dad.

Dad laid a hand on my shoulder. "I've been staying in an abandoned hunting cabin north of here."

From inside the house, the sound of a child crying carried out the door. Instinctively, we all turned toward the house, each of us taking a step.

Will glared at Ash. "Seriously. Drop it, especially if you're coming inside. I'll be pissed if you scare my kid with your attitude." Then he disappeared inside. The wailing stopped not long after.

"Ash," Mom said, reaching out to touch his arm. He turned to her. "Right now, we have more important things to worry about. This party is coming fast, and guests are already arriving in Seattle. Ryell and Dox need our support. You and Jacob can duke it out later. Please, baby. For your brother."

Ash looked at her for a moment before Cole finally moved to stand next to him. He took my brother's hand. "Please, Ash. I know, okay? I know what you and Dox saw when you looked at the bruises on Will. I know better than anybody. But I promise you that I don't see Jacob the way I see my dad. I see grief and regret. I'm not scared of Jacob, and I'm not angry with him. Things have been sorted out with him and Will and Dox and Ness. Please, let this go. Just this once. If it happens again, you can tell us all you told us so, but honestly, I don't think it will. My dad was never sorry; it was always my fault. Though your dad was angry with Will, he doesn't blame your brother for the physicality. He blames himself. Nobody's asking you to forget, just forgive."

My brother turned his gaze to his mate. They shared a moment of intense eye contact before Ash's shoulders lost some tension, dropping from the release. Behind me, I felt Dad ease up a bit, too. Still hand in hand with Cole, Ash walked over to us. I moved aside so the two men could meet gazes.

Finally, Ash held his hand out to Dad. "I'm glad you're home, Dad."

Cole let go of Ash long enough for him and Dad to share a manly hug and backslap.

"Thank you, son. I'm glad to be home where I belong."

Mom and I shared a smile.

* * *

 **So what do we think? Are things a little clearer? I hope so. The next chapter will be the party as well as (hopefully) the real drama begins! I'm so excited!** **I really do love you guys so much for hanging in here with me. I know I'm very touch and go on updates. I do appreciate all of you! Love y'all xoxoxoxoxo**


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